Technology Innovation News Survey

U.S. EPA News Release, 14 May 2012

EPA and the Department of Commerce plan to launch an environmental technology initiative to help create American jobs in the growing environmental industry. Announced at EPA's first Technology Market Summit, this initiative, which will include a comprehensive Web-based portal, will promote American environmental technology, products, and services in the global marketplace. The Environmental Technologies Export Initiative builds on President Obama's National Export Initiative, which aims to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014. The American environmental industry generates approximately $312 billion in revenues each year, with a global market of more than $800 billion. This growing industry employs nearly 1.7 million Americans and encompasses over 60,000 small businesses across the country. The planned Web-based tool is scheduled to be launched in fall 2012 and hosted on www.export.gov The tool will offer U.S. environmental companies detailed information on U.S. government support activities, including market research, scientific analysis, regulatory information, and financial support programs. EPA and Commerce are also partnering with trade associations to highlight potential growth opportunities for U.S. companies by increasing access to EPA's scientific, technical, and regulatory information and Commerce's foreign market analysis and export promotion infrastructure. When launched, this portal will serve as a guide to a systematic approach for U.S. companies seeking to expand markets for their environmental products and services abroad. http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/081a801ebd4b1958852579fe004e205f!OpenDocument •For more information on EPA's export initiatives: http://www.epa.gov/international/trade •For more information on Department of Commerce efforts to promote environmental technology, including the 2010 Environmental Industries Assessment under What's New! http://www.export.gov/envirotech

U.S. EPA News, May 2012

EPA and American University co-sponsored a Technology Market Summit on May 14, 2012. The Summit brought together 150 representatives of government, industry, investment, and academia to discuss how to stimulate innovation and expand the technology market to protect the environment and human health, build markets and create jobs, develop partnerships, and identify actions that the public and private sectors can take to broaden business opportunities for innovative, environmentally beneficial technologies. The morning session explored three environmental technology case studies. The first presentation was a case study on available market opportunities for the clean and sustainable automotive supply chain. The second study focused on the development and deployment of a real-time innovative fenceline air monitoring technology. The third study examined biodigester and biogas energy opportunities, and strategies to overcome impediments to harnessing energy from waste resources. The afternoon discussions centered on innovation and private sector investment opportunities. Proceedings of the Technology Market Summit—videos, slide presentations, and other materials—are posted on line: http://www.epa.gov/envirofinance/2012summit.html

Water Environment Research Foundation, May 2012

The Unsolicited Research Program supports the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) in its mission by funding research projects that can be the catalyst to transform scientific understanding of water resources and the ability to protect and preserve them in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. Interested parties are invited to submit pre-proposals (5 pages maximum) on topics that will advance science and technology by addressing water quality issues (e.g., wastewater, storm water) as they impact water resources, the atmosphere, the land, and the quality of life. WERF also will consider proposals that would take existing research to the next level of completion, resulting in practical solutions to water quality problems. The maximum duration for each selected research project is two years, unless sufficient justification is provided (for example, if WERF's funds are being leveraged as part of a larger effort undertaken by the proposer and the research has a longer timeline). Pre-proposals must be received by 5:00 PM EDT, July 12, 2012. Applicants will be notified by WERF in writing of the status of their proposal within ~60 days of the submission deadline. Applicants selected to submit a full proposal (including detailed research plans, budgets, and deliverables) for further review and consideration of funding will have an additional 30 days to submit the required information. WERF intends to send funding award notifications in December 2012, with selected research projects starting in the first quarter of 2013. http://www.werf.org/i/c/zMiscellaneous/Requests_for_Proposa.aspx

Naval Facilities Engineering Command, NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, VA.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-3841, Solicitation N4008512R1701, 2012

NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic is issuing a request for proposal for RAC services. RAC is the phase of the CERCLA process where the site remedy is constructed either as an interim or final action. This phase may include the construction of various soil, sediment and/or groundwater remediation systems that function as containment, in situ treatment, or ex situ treatment. The solicitation is advertised as 100% small business 8(a) set-aside. The resulting contract(s) will be firm fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, environmental multiple award contracts (EMAC) for RAC projects within the NEIPT AOR, i.e., the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The contractor will provide the personnel, tools, equipment, materials, transportation, and management to perform RAC services as required and negotiated in each individual task order. The solicitation will also include a Seed Project, which consists of a soil removal action at a closed skeet range at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. The EMAC contract performance period will be for one base year plus four option years (60 months) with a maximum not-to-exceed dollar value of $50 million for the total aggregate of all years for all contracts. Smaller or larger dollar value projects may be included at the Contracting Officer's discretion. Proposals are due no later than July 12, 2012, 2:00 PM Eastern Time. The North American Industry Classification System Code for this project is 562910, with a size standard of $33.5 million. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVFAC/N62470HR/N4008512R1701/listing.html

National Park Service, Denver Service Center, Lakewood, CO.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-3844, Solicitation P12PS00530, 2012

The National Park Service, Department of the Interior (DOI), intends to solicit proposals from construction firms having the capability to perform hazardous waste cleanup and restoration at Valley Forge National Historical Park, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (VAFO 137236). The scope of the project is excavation and characterization of contaminated soils, transportation and disposal of the soils at a licensed disposal facility, third-party monitoring, miscellaneous site restoration, and construction of a surface-water bypass. The offeror selected will furnish all labor, materials, equipment, and expertise necessary to perform all operations required for the successful completion of this project. This procurement is being offered as a competitive HUBZone set-aside and requires submission of both a technical and a price proposal. A negotiated firm fixed-price contract will be awarded. The NAICS code for this project is 238910, and the small business size standard is $14.0 million. The price range for this contract is between $5 million and $10 million. The contract duration is 720 calendar days following the notice to proceed. This solicitation will be issued electronically on the DOI National Business Center website at http://ideasec.nbc.gov. The site can be searched using the solicitation number, P12PS00530. The anticipated solicitation issue date is approximately June 19, 2012, with a proposal submission due date 30 days following solicitation issuance, on or about July 20, 2012. A pre-proposal conference and site visit is tentatively scheduled for June 27, 2012, for all interested parties. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOI/NPS/APC-IS/P12PS00530/listing.html

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Roanoke, VA.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-3850, Solicitation AG-52B1-S-12-0016, 2012

The U.S. Forest Service has a requirement for the development of an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) for the Viburnum Trend Mining Area (VT) on National Forest System lands. The VT is distributed over several hundred square miles with mixed ownership (federal, private, and other); however, the work specified under this procurement relates to USDA-Forest Service lands only. The site lies within two Mark Twain National Forest Purchase Units: the Salem/Potosi District and the Fredericktown District. The successful contractor and personnel will have direct CERCLA mine site or mining district experience in developing EE/CA documents. This acquisition is set aside 100% for HUBZone small business concerns. The EE/CA will identify alternatives to mitigate the potential for hazard to public health and the environment resulting from the release of residual contaminants from the mining, milling, hauling, and smelting of VT ores. The contractor will also prepare a Community Relations Plan in accordance with the NCP. The "New Lead Belt," which lies beneath the Salem/Potosi Unit, is an area of lead, zinc, copper, and silver mineralization. Seven of the 10 developed mines are currently in operation within the Salem/Potosi Unit boundary. Two smelters, Buick and Glover, were opened in 1968, but neither is currently operating. The Buick smelter is located within the Salem/Potosi Unit boundary, and the Glover smelter is located west of the Fredericktown Unit. A preliminary assessment completed in September 2011 included a site investigation sampling and analysis plan focused mainly on lead, zinc, and cadmium. Copies of this information are attached to the solicitation at FBO.gov. Offers are due no later than 3:00 PM Central Time, July 9, 2012. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/3434/AG-52B1-S-12-0016/listing.html

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, R-6 Pacific Northwest Region, Portland, OR.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-3821, Solicitation AG-05K3-S-11-0028, 11 May 2012

This solicitation is being issued for full and open competition, NAICS code 541330. The Forest Service intends to award no more than four indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts. The scope of the contract is to implement CERCLA actions at abandoned mine sites to address mine waste and contamination that is adversely impacting human health and/or the environment. Abandoned mine sites are not situated in typical HAZMAT environments. Mine sites are located in remote areas, often without radio or cell phone coverage, and in extremely steep terrain. Project accomplishment is often complicated by limited site access. At many sites, the contractor must enter underground workings to determine flow characteristics of acid mine drainage. Qualified contractors must have experience with mining processes involving the extraction of metals from ore bodies and understand the relationship of mine waste and contamination. On-the-ground activities at abandoned mine sites can include all of the following phases: abbreviated preliminary assessment; site inspection; engineering evaluation and cost analysis; removal design; time-critical or non-time-critical removal action; and post-removal operations, maintenance, and monitoring. Proposals are due no later than August 2, 2012, 16:00 PM Pacific Time. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/04H1/AG-05K3-S-11-0028/listing.html

Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, IL.
Federal Business Opportunities, Solicitation W52P1J-12-R-3032, 15 May 2012

The Army has issued a competitive 8(a) solicitation for explosives decontamination and disposal for the NC Area #2 at Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, Charlestown, Indiana. This project consists of inspection and explosives decontamination of buildings, equipment, and sub-foundation testing/disposal, including disassembly of suspected contaminated buildings and assorted equipment, off-site disposal of contaminated materials, and documentation preparation. Upon removal/disposal of residual material, confirmation samples will be tested as identified to ensure no surface contamination resulted or remains as a direct result of the decontamination activities. In the event soil contamination exists, further delineation will take place to identify the remaining soils that will require excavation and hauling for off-site disposal. In lieu of further delineation, the contractor may choose to perform a risk assessment to determine the risk to human health and the environment that could preclude the dig/haul activities. The period of performance for this project will be 16 months after contract award. The due date/time is Monday, July 2, 2012, 8:00 AM CDT. https://www.fbo.gov/notices/6ac38a2fe505f28c091ac101b0337dd6

Collins, J.
Pollution Engineering, Vol 44 No 5, p 26-30, May 2012 [a Pollution Engineering White Paper]

Coal tar contamination was successfully destroyed at a former roofing products manufacturing site in New York City using a surfactant-enhanced in situ chemical oxidation (S-ISCO) system. The urban site, surrounded by dense residential and commercial development along the shores of the East River, was contaminated with coal tar repurposed from a nearby manufactured gas plant for use in the roofing manufacturing process. The coal tar was mainly present as residual NAPL held within the pore spaces of the predominately sandy and silty soil, which included lenses of silt and silty clay. The treatment consisted of injections of VeruSOL-3, which is a patented, plant-based surfactant and co-solvent mixture, and sodium persulfate activated with sodium hydroxide. The applications were augmented by a pressure-pulsing injection enhancement technology often used to maximize oil recovery operations. Between October 2010 and March 2011, the supplier conducted five months of S-ISCO injections that destroyed >90% of coal tar-related contaminants—polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylenes—in the targeted interval. http://www.pollutionengineering.com/PE/Home/Files/PDFs/VerutekSISCOCaseStudy.pdf

Suthersan, S., M. Schnobrich, K. Mancini, C. McLaughlin, and S. Potter.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 32 No 1, 37-42, 2012

An innovative, sustainable remediation system was recently implemented to address historical TCE impacts in groundwater at the Fort Gordon Military Reservation near Augusta, Georgia. The TCE plume travels with ambient groundwater flow downhill toward a receiving stream. At the base of the hill, artesian groundwater conditions lift the plume toward the stream and surrounding flood zone. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division requested a remediation approach that would address the contamination with minimal disruption to the surrounding area, and ensure long-term protectiveness of the stream. The selection of a remedy was challenged by the tight geologic formation and unique hydraulic conditions, as well as the sensitive ecology of the area, which limited site access. In August 2011, the contractor installed a novel artesian treatment vessel (ATV) system, which requires no energy inputs or mechanical moving parts, within a network of extraction wells along the flood plain of the receptor stream. The wells are screened in the core of the plume, where natural artesian groundwater conditions support the capture of contaminated groundwater for transport into the ATVs. The vessels are installed below land surface, and the differential upward pressure between the aquifer and the land surface conveys the groundwater through the vessels. Groundwater entering the ATV flows upward through a bed of liquid-phase granular activated carbon for removal of the dissolved TCE. Treated groundwater is discharged through a series of outlets and then directed through a gravel diffusion bed to prevent erosion and ensure even distribution across the surface. On the basis of the average influent TCE concentration of 100 µg/L, a flow rate of 3 gpm, and the total volume of carbon within each ATV (270 lbs), the maximum carbon life for each ATV is estimated to be ~6 years. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2011.01383.x/full

Begley, J.F., M. Czarnecki, S. Kemen, A. Verardo, A.K. Robb, S. Fogel, and G.S. Begley.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 32 No 1, 99-105, 2012

The authors describe the successful bioremediation of a large, migrating, dilute vinyl chloride (VC) plume, where an aerobic biostimulation treatment approach utilized both oxygen and ethene. A release of PCE at a Massachusetts landfill leached into groundwater along with unresolved dissolved organic matter that contained electron donors, resulting in anaerobic conditions and reductive dechlorination of PCE to VC. Significant concentrations of competing electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration were present, however, and conditions less favorable to anaerobic dechlorination occurred downgradient of the landfill. The dilute groundwater plume with persistent low levels of VC (2 to 27 µg/L) migrated away from the source and detached following landfill capping. A treatment option consisting of in situ aerobic biobarriers was designed and installed to deliver a constant supply of oxygen, with initial periodic pulsing of ethene to stimulate the growth of aerobic ethenotrophs in the groundwater. This option was chosen in part because initial VC concentrations were too low to stimulate efficient aerobic degradation using oxygen alone. After a pilot test of two oxygen delivery systems—biosparging and in situ mass transfer of pure oxygen—oxygen delivery via iSOC in situ gas infusion technology was selected for full-scale treatment. The iSOC technology provided the flexibility to deliver ethene as well as oxygen. The aerobic biostimulation treatment approach achieved plume migration cut-off and full attenuation of most of the plume three to four years after full-scale implementation. Three of the six downgradient treatment lines have been discontinued. Residual VC above the 2 µg/L standard is migrating into the area of the first line of treatment from an upgradient source, and groundwater treatment continues in that area while the persistent source is investigated further. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2011.01371.x/full

U.S. EPA Region 3, 358 pp, Sep 2011

Following the removal of thousands of cubic yards of chromium-contaminated soil from a former on-site encapsulation area, Precision conducted in situ chemical reduction (ISCR) injections at various times throughout the property in an attempt to reduce contaminant source levels, beginning with a pilot test in 2006 to assess the injection of calcium polysulfide (Ca[Sx]) into the soil. The test confirmed that the high-pressure injection method would deliver the Ca(Sx) successfully and indicated that the frequency of the injections would depend on the soil types at the various locations. About 265,000 gallons of Ca(Sx) solution at concentrations ranging from 3 to 6% was injected into 3,677 injection points in soil source areas to reduce the hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) soil concentrations to a criterion of 60 mg/kg, estimated as sufficient to achieve a concentration of 11 µg/L Cr(VI) in Ackerly Creek. Subsequently, ~150,000 gallons of a 1 to 2% solution of Ca(Sx) was injected into the shallow and weathered bedrock source areas for full-scale treatment of contaminated groundwater from August 2008 to January 2009. Results indicated that although Cr(VI) concentrations decreased following the injections, the surface water quality standard of 11 µg/L Cr(VI) was not achieved in Ackerly Creek. In addition, a rebound in Cr(VI) concentrations indicated the presence of residual source material in the weathered and shallow bedrock in the vicinity of the well. A second phase of the shallow bedrock injection activities was completed from October 2010 to December 2010, with ~2,350 gallons of 29% Ca(Sx) injected into the shallow bedrock using a total of ~52,000 gallons of diluted solution. Although elevated concentrations are still present in the shallow bedrock, the areas affected by these concentrations are considerably smaller than they were prior to the ISCR activities in 2008/2009, indicating that the Ca(Sx) was successful in reducing the Cr(VI) concentrations. Additional injections are proposed to address the remaining concentrations identified during recent investigations. The proposed remedial alternative also includes long-term monitoring and institutional controls to prevent exposure of residents to contaminated groundwater and surface water. www.epaosc.org/sites/2425/files/09-01-2011%20Final%20EECA%20for%20the%20Precision%20National%20Site.pdf •For additional ISCR system design information, see the 2011 Supplemental Shallow Bedrock In Situ Chemical Reduction Work Plan for this site: www.epaosc.org/sites/2425/files/Fall-2011%202011%20Supplemental%20Shallow%20Bedrock%20In%20Situ%20Chemical%20Reduction%20Work%20Plan%202.pdf

Petruzzi, N.M.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 31 No 2, 63-71, 2011

Green and sustainable remediation (GSR) principles and practices were incorporated into various phases of the remediation life cycle during a RCRA Corrective Action cleanup. GSR best management practices (BMPs) were identified and employed to the extent possible during the investigation, remedy evaluation, and remedy implementation phases of the cleanup. As part of the remedy evaluation phase, potential remedial alternatives were evaluated against GSR principles and practices to support the selection of a preferred remedial alternative. The evaluation included the identification of inherent GSR similarities within the five existing RCRA balancing criteria and the development of a sixth new balancing criterion. The sixth criterion consisted of five relevant GSR categories: 1) consumption of resources and materials, 2) carbon dioxide emissions, 3) waste minimization and reuse, 4) community benefit, and 5) corporate image/corporate sustainability. The GSR evaluation and implementation approaches considered are discussed in this case study as well as the various uncertainties and barriers encountered. In general, this case study provides a successful demonstration of GSR, given guidance limitations, facility permit constraints, complexities associated with site-specific conditions, and a situation where the most feasible options were not considered the most green and sustainable ones, primarily because of their energy-intensive nature, resource consumption, or waste generation. [A preliminary version of this paper was delivered at the 2010 International Conference on Green Remediation. The link goes to the conference summary—see pages 36-40]: http://www.umass.edu/tei/conferences/GreenRemediation/PDF/Conference_Summary_Papers.pdf

Richardson, S.D., J.B. Elkins, B.D. Riha, J.V. Noonkester, and B.B. Looney.
Pollution Engineering, Vol 44 No 4, 10 pp, Apr 2012 [a Pollution Engineering white paper]

A field exercise is under way at DOE's Savannah River Site (SRS) to evaluate a newly developed in situ biological treatment technology to address chlorinated VOC (CVOC) contamination in the vadose zone. The Vadose Oil Substrate (VOS™) technology, which was invented at Savannah River National Laboratory and co-developed, licensed, and manufactured by EOS Remediation, LLC, is a thixotropic (shear thinning) formulation of biodegradable oil, water, nutrients, buffers, and dechlorinating bacteria (Dehalococcoides sp.) that sequesters and biodegrades slow-diffusing CVOCs from unsaturated soils. Field testing of the compound began in February 2010 at the M-Area Abandoned Process Sewer Line site, located in the northwest portion of the SRS, where process wastewaters containing PCE, TCE, and minor amounts of TCA leaked at the joints in the sewer line, resulting in discrete point sources of CVOC contamination within the 120 to 130 ft thick vadose zone. The injection of 230 gallons of VOS™ resulted in a rapid and significant decrease in CVOC gas concentration, the generation of CVOC daughter products, a decrease in oxygen concentration, and an increase in carbon dioxide and methane production. http://www.pollutionengineering.com/PE/Home/Files/PDFs/ApplicationofBiodegradableOils.pdf •Graphic illustrations of the project are available in a 25-slide presentation: http://redox-tech.com/Power%20Point%20PDFs/Day%202%202012/14%20Richardson%20Presentation.pdf •Patent application for VOS™: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7896577.PN.&OS=PN/7896577&RS=PN/7896577

Mathies, C., W. Xiong, K. Bradshaw, T. Carlson, and K. Tang.
International Symposium on Bioremediation and Sustainable Environmental Technologies, June 27-30, 2011, Reno, Nevada. Battelle Press, Columbus, OH. 8 pp, 2011

The project team designed a pilot-scale enhanced anaerobic biodegradation (EAB) program for a site that contained abundant levels of naturally occurring sulfate. The contractor hypothesized that the introduction of nitrate as a supplied electron acceptor and phosphate as a macronutrient could stimulate nitrate reduction, which would facilitate sequential transition to sulfate-reducing conditions once the nitrate had been preferentially consumed. This concept was designed to leverage the high existing sulfate concentrations and implement a cost-effective EAB program to increase the degradation rates of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) following a multi-phase vapor extraction (MPVE) program. MPVE had recovered ~9,900 L of PHCs, roughly 82% vapor phase and 18% enhanced aerobic biodegradation phase. The EAB program was conducted to facilitate anaerobic PHC degradation once the MPVE system was shut down for the winter months. In October 2009, a solution of ~420 g/L of potassium nitrate and 75 g/L of triethylphosphate (TEP) was injected under 20-30 psi pressure into 25 recovery wells across the study site, with ~5 g/L of sodium carbonate (pH 10.3) added as a buffering agent. A 2% Ivey-sol 103 surfactant was injected to desorb PHCs from the soil matrix and transfer the desorbed PHC into groundwater, where it was more accessible for biodegradation. PHC soil and groundwater data confirmed that the EAB process effectively reduced BTEX concentrations, including measurable quantities of benzene, generally one of the more difficult compounds to biodegrade. Nitrate concentrations during this period fell from the initial target concentration of 1,000 mg/L (as nitrogen) to less than 5 mg/L. Sulfate concentrations also decreased. Evidence of EAB was also confirmed by an increase in the population of anaerobic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and microbial diversity as demonstrated through DNA profiling. Compound-specific isotope analysis data provided an additional line of evidence for the EAB processes. http://www.seima.sk.ca/Resources/Documents/Events/Remediating%20Contamination/Presentation%20decks/Kim%20Tang%20Bio_286MathiesPaper.pdf

Riha, B., B. Looney, J. Noonkester, K. Hyde, and R. Walker.
SRNL-STI-2012-00290, 55 pp, May 2012

The combination of remediation technologies selected for TCE contamination in the T-Area included 1) neat (pure) vegetable oil deployment in the deep vadose zone in the former source area, 2) emulsified vegetable oil deployment within the footprint of the groundwater plume, and 3) identification of attenuation mechanisms and rates for the distal portion of the plume. In the first part, neat oil spreads laterally, forming a thin layer on the water table to intercept and reduce future CVOC loading (via partitioning) and reduce oxygen inputs (via biostimulation). In the second and third parts, emulsified oil forms active bioremediation reactor zones within the plume footprint to degrade existing groundwater contamination (via reductive dechlorination and/or cometabolism) and stimulates long-term attenuation capacity in the distal plume (via cometabolism). The initial field deployment of the amendments began in February 2008 and ended in April 2008. Because flow rates for diluted emulsion injection and groundwater extraction in the first well pair were below the design assumptions, radial injections were made in three wells along the flow path of the dissolved plume. Data collected from the 12 wells indicate that the injected fluids are being distributed in the subsurface as expected. TCE in the treatment zone decreased immediately after injections, and the groundwater plume has decreased in size and concentration. The fast decrease in concentration resulted from partitioning and injection of treated (clean air-stripped) water, but TCE concentrations have remained near or below 5 µg/L in this area. The data indicate that the buffer added to the injection (trisodium phosphate and bicarbonate) increased the pH from ~5 to ~6 within the treatment zone. Additional amendments were added to well TBG-4 in May 2010. Full anaerobic conditions have been achieved throughout most of the treatment zone. Elevated levels of methane and low DO and ORP indicate strongly reducing conditions. Sulfate and nitrate have decreased as the anaerobic zones are established. Reductive daughter products (cis-DCE, vinyl chloride, and ethene) have been observed in some wells, indicating reductive dechlorination is occurring in parts of the treatment zone. Cometabolic degradation may be a dominant destruction mechanism in oxygenated zones. Methanotrophic bacteria, which use methane as their primary food source and are capable of degrading TCE aerobically by cometabolism, were present prior to deployment. www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/1040621/

Cunningham, Colin John, Ph.D. thesis, The University of Edinburgh, UK, 212 pp, June 2012

Sustainable treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated industrial land is considered in this thesis with reference to seven published works that variously discuss remediation techniques for railway track ballast, diesel-contaminated soils, and soils affected by crude oil waste. A methodology was developed to assess the level of hydrocarbon contamination in railroad track ballast (Anderson et al. 2000) because typical analytical methods for soils may not be applicable to the assessment of ballast. Anderson et al. (2002, 2003) also investigated solvent and surfactant cleaning of ballast and examined potential environmental impacts of these processes. Optimization of ex situ bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil (Cunningham & Philp 2000) demonstrated the efficacy of bioaugmentation to enhance diesel biodegradation rates at field pilot scale. This work motivated a further study that examined a novel aeration approach incorporating ventilator turbines (cowls) for soil biopiles (Li et al. 2004). Kuyukina et al. (2003) developed an optimized ex situ bioremediation technique for crude oil waste that demonstrated the efficacy of bioaugmentation and the application of biosurfactants. The final study discussed investigated the potential application of biosurfactants to in situ remediation (Kuyukina et al. 2005) in laboratory soil columns contaminated with crude oil. The collected works (appendices B through H) are informative to those seeking to remediate hydrocarbon-contaminated industrial land utilizing a sustainable treatment approach. http://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/5871

Lojkasek-Lima, P., R. Aravena, B.L. Parker, and J.A. Cherry.
Ground Water [online prior to hardcopy publication] 2012

A dual isotope approach based on compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of carbon and chlorine was used to identify sources of persistent TCE that caused the shutdown in 1994 of a municipal well in an extensive fractured dolostone aquifer beneath Guelph, Ontario. Although several nearby industrial properties have known subsurface TCE contamination, only one has installed a comprehensive monitoring network in the bedrock. The affected municipal well and many monitoring wells were sampled for VOCs, inorganic parameters, and CSIA. A wide range in isotope values was observed at the study site. The TCE varies between -35.6‰ and -21.8‰ and from 1.6‰ to 3.2‰ for deltaC-13 and deltaCl-37, respectively. For cis-1,2-DCE, the isotope values range between -36.3‰ and -18.9‰ and from 2.4‰ to 4.7‰ for deltaC-13 and deltaCl-37, respectively. The dual isotope approach represented by a plot of radiolabeled C versus Cl shows the municipal well samples grouped in a domain clearly separate from all other samples from the property that installed the comprehensive well network. The CSIA results collected under non-pumping and short-term pumping conditions thus indicate that this particular property, which has been studied intensively for several years, is not a substantial contributor of the TCE found in the municipal well under non-pumping conditions. This case study demonstrates that CSIA signatures would have been useful much earlier in the quest to examine sources of the TCE in the municipal well if bedrock monitoring wells had been located at several depths beneath each of the potential TCE-contributing properties. The CSIA results also indicate that microbial reductive dechlorination of TCE occurs in some parts of the bedrock aquifer. Due to the complexity introduced by biodegradation in the complex fractured rock aquifer, the use of CSIA for C and Cl in combination with analyses of VOC and redox parameters at this site proved particularly valuable. The authors recommend revisiting the study when the municipal well is back into full operation. A 2009 report of this study is available for additional background: http://aguassubterraneas.emnuvens.com.br/asubterraneas/article/viewFile/21997/14358

Harte, P.T.
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012-1079, 33 pp, 2012

The U.S. Geological Survey and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services collaborated on an evaluation of remedy simulations of the Milford-Souhegan Glacial-Drift aquifer to track the remedial progress of the PCE plume at the Savage Superfund site. Model inputs include initial PCE mass (concentrations of the plume), physical properties of the aquifer (e.g., hydraulic conductivity, chemical properties), specified flows (groundwater recharge, well extractions), and physical components of the remedial system, such as the barrier wall. The barrier is a low-permeability slurry wall that encircles the highest concentrations of PCE in OU1. It penetrates the full thickness of the sand and gravel deposits, partially penetrates the underlying discontinuous basal till, and in some locations sits directly on top of the bedrock. This report summarizes the evaluation findings by providing a description of groundwater flow and transport models used in the study (section 2), an evaluation of the models and their results (section 3), the testing of several new simulations (section 4), an assessment of the representation of models to simulate field conditions (section 5), and an overall assessment of models as a tool in remedial operational decision making (section 6). http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2012/1079/

Boufadel, M.C., A.M. Bobo, and Y. Xia.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 31 No 2, 80-91, 2011

Delivery of dissolved chemicals to bioremediate oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill was investigated on Smith Island, Prince William Sound, Alaska. Two transects for tracer application were installed: one at a clean area and another at an oiled area. Tracer delivery occurred under ambient pressure through manifolds. Lithium at 82.6 mg/L in a LiBr/sea water solution was the inert tracer, and the solution was released at a flow rate of 0.23 L/min for 58.5 h. While maintaining the flow rate, the solution was switched to sea water (i.e., 0.0 mg/L of lithium) for 16 h. Results show that the tracer moved landward with rising tides and seaward with falling tides. The plume got deeper moving landward and shallower moving seaward of the manifold. In situations where oil biodegradation is limited by the availability of nutrients or oxygen, applying these chemicals by this technique would allow them to reach entrapped oil seaward of the manifold from below. The seaward plume traveling speed (around 2.0 m/d) suggests that this technique is logistically feasible from a hydraulic point of view. http://www.temple.edu/environment/Papers/52-boufadelxiali2011.pdf

Looney, B.B., A.L. Bryan, Jr., T.J. Mathews, et al.
SRNL-STI-2012-00202, 70 pp, Mar 2012

The impacts of an innovative mercury treatment system are being evaluated in Tims Branch, a small southeastern stream. The treatment system, installed in 2007, reduces and removes inorganic mercury from water using tin(II) (stannous) chloride addition, followed by air stripping and then the discharge of inorganic tin to the ecosystem. This screening project is based on historical information combined with measurements of contaminant concentrations in water, fish, sediment, biofilms, and invertebrates. Mercury data indicate a significant decrease (as much as 72%) in mercury concentrations in an upper trophic-level fish, redfin pickerel, at all sampling locations in the impacted reach between 2006 (pre-treatment) and 2010 (post-treatment). Thermodynamic modeling, scanning electron microscopy, and other sampling data for tin suggest that particulate tin(IV) oxides are a significant geochemical species entering the ecosystem, with elevated levels of tin measured in surficial sediments and biofilms extending ~3 km from the discharge location. Tin oxides are recalcitrant solids that are relatively non-toxic and resistant to dissolution. Work continues to develop and validate methods to analyze total tin in the collected biota samples. In general, interim results suggest that the treatment process has performed as predicted and that the concentration of mercury in upper trophic-level fish, as a surrogate for all of the underlying transport and transformation processes in a complex ecosystem, has declined as a direct result of the elimination of inorganic mercury inputs. Inorganic tin released to the ecosystem has been found in compartments where particles accumulate, with notable levels measured in biofilms. http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/1038050/

Benecke, M.W., G.B. Chronister, and M.J. Truex.
CH PRC-O 1641-FP, 16 pp, 2012 [Presented at WM2012, 26 Feb - 1 Mar 2012, Phoenix, AZ]

Soil desiccation is a potential in situ remedial technology particularly suited to the arid conditions and the thick vadose zone at the Hanford site. Desiccation techniques could reduce the advance of contaminants by removing the pore water to slow the rate of contaminant movement toward groundwater. Besides reducing the water flux, desiccation also establishes capillary breaks that would require extensive rewetting to resume pore water transport. The techniques may have widespread application for isolating radionuclides or addressing chemical contaminant issues. This paper describes three different desiccation techniques currently being studied at Hanford: nitrogen gas injection, pore water extraction, and soil wicking. http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/1034777/

Lee, J., X. Liu, P.K. Kitanidis, U. Kim, J. Parker, A. Bloom, and R. Lyon.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 32 No 2, 48-56, 2012

A stochastic optimization was conducted of DNAPL remediation design at Dover Air Force Base Area 5 using emulsified vegetable oil injection. The Stochastic Cost Optimization Toolkit (SCOToolkit) used for the study couples semi-analytical DNAPL source depletion and transport models with parameter estimation, error propagation, and stochastic optimization modules that can consider multiple sources and remediation strategies. Model parameters were calibrated to field data conditions on prior estimates of parameters and their uncertainty. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to identify optimal remediation decisions that minimize the expected net present value cleanup cost while maintaining concentrations at compliance wells under the maximum contaminant level. Results show that annual operating costs could be reduced by ~50% by implementing the identified optimal remediation strategy. Furthermore, recalibration and re-optimization after 50 years using additional monitoring data could lead to a further 60% reduction in annual operating cost, thereby increasing the reliability of the proposed remediation actions. For a temporary, full-text preview of the paper: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/41577907_Cost_optimization_of_DNAPL_source_and_plume_remediation_under_uncertainty_using_a_semi-analytic_model •Additional details and project background are available in the 2011 SERDP report, Practical Cost-Optimization of Characterization and Remediation Decisions at DNAPL Sites with Consideration of Prediction Uncertainty: http://www.serdp-estcp.org/content/download/11363/141040/file/ER-1611-FR.pdf

Pinto, P.X., S.R. Al-Abed, and D.J. Reisman.
Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol 166 No 3, 1002-1009, 2011

Mining-influenced water such as acid mine drainage issuing from mine sites poses a major environmental concern due to its impact on water contamination caused by low pH and the presence of high concentrations of toxic metals. The authors evaluated two commercial products—Chitorem SC-20® (raw crushed crab shells containing 40% (w/w) calcium carbonate, 30% protein, 20% chitin, 7% moisture, and 3% ash) and Chitorem SC-80® (chitin polymer containing 88% chitin and 12% moisture)—for heavy metals removal from mining influenced water. SC-20 effectively neutralized the strong acidity of the water; even at loads as low as 1 g/L the equilibrium pH was neutral. At a load of 2 g/L, SC-20 showed a final pH of 7.94 with >99.8% removal of iron, lead, and zinc, along with partial removal of cadmium (96% of 1.3 mg/L), cobalt (54% of 0.78 mg/L), copper (42% of 72 mg/L), and manganese (64% of 52 mg/L). Metal removal was achieved primarily by neutralization and precipitation, mainly due to the dissolution of the calcium carbonate from the SC-20. SC-80 was used to differentiate the effect of alkalinity and the amount of metal adsorption achievable by the chitin polymer. Lead (up to 1.24 mg/g), cadmium (up to 1.81 mg/g), and cobalt (up to 0.93 mg/g) from single-metal solutions were adsorbed onto the SC-80. Metal adsorption onto this chitin polymer seemed to play a minor role as a mechanism of metal removal. Overall, the study demonstrated that crab-shell products can be an important alternative for remediation of water affected by low pH and high metal concentrations. http://sanat-danesh.ir/danesh/pdf-m/bio6.pdf

Chiang, Y.W., K. Ghyselbrecht, R.M. Santos, B. Meesschaert, J. Martens, V. Cappuyns, T. Van Gerven, and R. Swennen.
COM 2011: Conference of Metallurgists—Waste Recycling in Mineral and Metallurgical Industries, 2-5 October 2011, Montreal. 12 pp, 2011

At large sites affected by metals contamination, traditional remediation techniques can be economically infeasible because of the volume of contaminated materials to be treated. In such cases, an in situ soil amendment can provide a solution that is both cost effective and durable. Immobilization, stabilization, solidification, and other forms of long-term, self-containing barriers can help control the mobilization and biological availability of critical contaminants. The detoxification mechanism of sorbents mainly comes from their affinity for contaminant solutes and/or ion-exchange capacity. Once adsorbed, contaminants can become permanently stabilized within an operating window (pH, temperature, dilution extent). The aim of the study described in this paper was to tailor an appropriate sorbent material using adsorbents both commercially available and developed in-house to remediate heavy metal contamination in sediments from a brook in north Belgium. Emissions originating from historical metallurgical activities had affected the surrounding area. Of the materials evaluated, no single sorbent was able to achieve complete removal of the four contaminants of interest (As, Cd, Pb, and Zn). When Zn and Cd were adsorbed to near completion, As frequently leached into solution. The more effective mixture compositions tested were 1) hydroxyapatite + synthetic zeolite and 2) water treatment residues + natural zeolite. Incorporating more than one stabilizing additive to act on contaminants in the sediment can lead to a more gradual and lower contaminant release in the long term. This synergistic effect would diminish the risk of contaminant release from the amended sediments in response to changes in their environment. Further work is ongoing in this area within the Knowledge Platform on Sustainable Materialization of Residues from Thermal Processes into Products (SMaRT-Pro²) at the K.U. Leuven Association. https://lirias.hubrussel.be/bitstream/123456789/5166/1/COM2011-Chiang-47220%2Brevised.pdf

Calendine, S., D.F. Rucker, J.B. Fink, and M.T. Levitt.
SAGEEP 2011: 24th Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems. Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society. 12 pp, 2011

At the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington State, DOE oversees the containment, treatment, and retrieval of liquid high-level radioactive waste. Much of the waste is stored in single-shelled tanks (SSTs) built between 1943 and 1964. Currently, the waste is being retrieved from the SSTs and transferred into newer double-shelled tanks for temporary storage before final treatment. An electrically based geophysics monitoring program for leak detection and monitoring has been deployed successfully on several SSTs at the Hanford site since 2004. The monitoring program takes advantage of changes in contact resistance that occurs when conductive tank liquid leaks into the soil. During monitoring, electrical current is transmitted on different electrode types (e.g., steel-cased wells and surface electrodes) while voltages are measured on all other electrodes, including the tanks. Data acquisition hardware and software allow for continuous real-time monitoring of the received voltages, and the leak assessment is conducted through a time-series data analysis. The specific hardware and software combination creates a highly sensitive method of leak detection, complementing existing drywell logging as a means to detect and quantify leaks. http://www.dalerucker.com/conf/LDM_SAGEEP2011.pdf

Halihan, T., J. Albano, S.D. Comfort, and V.A. Zlotnik.
Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 32 No 1, 43-52, 2012

Groundwater beneath the former Nebraska Ordnance Plant is contaminated with the constituents of explosive RDX and TCE. Previous treatability experiments confirmed that permanganate could mineralize RDX in the site's aquifer material. An evaluation of the efficacy of permanganate transformation of RDX in the field was conducted by monitoring a pilot-scale in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) demonstration. In this demonstration, electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) was used to create two-dimensional images of the test site prior to, during, and after sodium permanganate injection. An extraction-injection well configuration was designed to create a permanganate curtain in the subsurface, and monitoring wells were positioned downgradient of the injection zone to capture the permanganate-RDX plume. Differences between ERI taken pre- and post-injection showed the initial distribution of the injected permanganate. ERI also quantitatively corroborated the hydraulic conductivity distribution across the site. Although groundwater samples from 12 downgradient wells and 8 direct-push profiles did not provide enough data to quantify the distribution and flow of the injected permanganate, ERI showed that the permanganate injection flowed against the regional groundwater gradient and migrated below monitoring well screens. ERI combined with monitoring well samples helped explain the permanganate dynamics in downgradient wells, and the results support the use of ERI as a means of monitoring ISCO injections. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2011.01361.x/full

U.S. EPA, National Homeland Security Research Center.
EPA 600-R-11-052, 779 pp, July 2011

This report summarizes presentations and discussions from EPA's fifth workshop on decontamination and associated issues for sites contaminated with chemical, biological, or radiological (CBR) materials. The workshop was held April 13-15, 2010, in Durham, North Carolina, to enable participants from throughout the world to discuss decontamination-related advances. The technical content of this report is based entirely on information and discussions from the workshop. The proceedings consisted of 53 presentations followed by brief question and answer periods. The abstracts are organized in nine sessions in sections 3 through 11, and Appendix C contains presentation slides for speakers who approved distribution. The topic areas were categorized as follows:
      •      Field activities and large-scale demonstrations.
      •      Cross-cutting recovery activities.
      •      Tools and guidance development, fate and transport research activities informing recovery (cross-cutting).
      •      Activities to support wide-area biodecontamination.
      •      Persistence of biological agents and other bio-related decontamination and disposal research and radiological recovery research activities.
      •      Operational considerations for decontamination and chemical warfare agent recovery research.
EPA will use the information presented during the workshop to address decontamination and cleanup challenges faced at sites contaminated with CBR materials. http://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_file_download.cfm?p_download_id=502681

Williamson, M.J., D. Meza, I. Moulton, M. Gorton, M. Freshley, P. Dixon, R Seitz, C. Steefel, S. Finsterle, S. Hubbard, M Zhu, Gerdes, K., R. Patterson, and Y. Collazo.
Journal of Technology and Innovation, Vol 13 No 2, 175-199, 2011

DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) determined that uniform application of advanced modeling in the subsurface has the potential to help reduce costs and risks associated with its environmental cleanup mission. In response to this determination, the EM Office of Technology Innovation and Development, Groundwater and Soil Remediation initiated the Advanced Simulation Capability for Environmental Management (ASCEM) Program. ASCEM is a state-of-the-art, modular, open-source tool and approach for integrating data to enable prediction of contaminant fate and transport in natural and engineered systems. This initiative supports the reduction of uncertainties and risks associated with EM's environmental cleanup and closure programs by enabling a better understanding and quantification of subsurface flow and contaminant transport behavior in complex geological systems. The program includes an examination of the long-term performance of engineered components (e.g., cementitious materials in nuclear waste disposal facilities) that might become sources for future contamination of the subsurface. This article describes the ASCEM tools, approach, reports, and programmatic accomplishments completed in 2010. DOE EM has developed a website to disseminate information about ASCEM: http://ascemdoe.org/

Wuana, R.A. and F.E. Okieimen.
ISRN Ecology, Vol 2011, Paper 402647, 20 pp, 2011

Remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals is conducted to reduce the associated risks, make the land resource available for productive uses, enhance food security, and scale down problems arising from changes in the pattern of land use. Scattered literature from diverse sources was collected to support a critical review of the possible sources, chemistry, potential biohazards, and available remedial strategies for heavy metals—lead, chromium, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, copper, mercury, and nickel—commonly found in contaminated soils. The principles, advantages, and disadvantages of immobilization, soil washing, and phytoremediation are presented as techniques frequently listed among the best demonstrated available technologies for cleaning up metal-contaminated sites. www.isrn.com/journals/ecology/2011/402647/

NIST Tech Beat, 6 Mar 2012

Standard Reference Materials are among the most widely distributed and used products from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The agency prepares, analyzes, and distributes about 1,300 different materials that are used throughout the world to check the accuracy of instruments, validate test procedures, and serve as the basis for quality control standards. NIST has released a new certified reference material, Gulf of Mexico Crude Oil (SRM 2779), to support the federal government's natural resources damage assessment (NRDA) in the wake of the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. Using data from three independent methods of analysis performed at NIST, as well as one set of data from an interlaboratory study coordinated by NIST and NOAA, certified and reference values (as mass fractions) are provided for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) along with reference values (as mass fractions) for alkylated PAH groups, hopanes, and steranes. These compound classes are among those used as indicators for the presence of petroleum crude oil. Each unit of SRM 2779 consists of five ampoules, each containing 1.2 mL of crude oil. SRM 2779 will be used as a quality control material for the ongoing environmental impact analyses of the NRDA effort. Tens of thousands of environmental samples—oil in various forms, water, sediment, and biological samples—are being collected and analyzed to characterize both pre-spill and post-spill environmental conditions. Technical details about SRM 2779, Gulf of Mexico Crude Oil, are available at https://www-s.nist.gov/srmors/view_detail.cfm?srm=2779