Technology Innovation News Survey

Department of the Army, Army Contracting Command, ACC-Pine Bluff.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4017, Solicitation W911RP-13-R-0003, 2012

The ACC-Rock Island, Pine Bluff Contracting Office has a requirement for environmental services in the form of ecological surveys; toxicity testing; groundwater assessments; and environmental toxicology, chemistry, and treatment evaluations. This project will consist of five ordering periods of 12 months each under a firm, fixed-price, IDIQ contract. The NAICS code is 541620, with a business size of $14.0M. The solicitation for this small business set-aside will be posted at FBO.gov after November 29, 2012, with an estimated closing date of December 19, 2012. https://www.fbo.gov/notices/75a56b44de1b127c1942b883822d4bc8

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE District, Sacramento, CA.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4011, Solicitation W9123813S0319, 2012

This sources sought notice seeks to determine the availability of potential firms for a project that requires the installation of a monitoring well in each of an estimated 16 sites located in urban residential neighborhoods, followed by sampling and analysis, to be completed for all 16 wells by June 30, 2013. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is specifically looking for experience successfully managing drilling to at least 1,000 ft within an area no larger than 150 ft by 12 ft in an urban environment, and managing purging, sampling, and testing. Experience must include Simulprobe groundwater monitoring and ZIST pump installation. Short capability statements should be submitted by 5:00pm PT, December 15, 2012. The 6-month project is in early planning stages and will be solicited in 2013 if funds are available. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA05/W9123813S0319/listing.html

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7, Lenexa, KS.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4017, Solicitation SOL-R7-12-00021, 2012

U.S. EPA Region 7 has a requirement for emergency and rapid response services for emergency, time-critical, and non-time-critical removals and remedial activities as a total small business set-aside contract, NAICS code 562910. The contractor will provide all equipment, personnel, and materials necessary for containment, countermeasures, cleanup, mitigation, restoration, and disposal of hazardous substances, oil, contaminants, or pollutants as specified in individual task orders within the four states that comprise Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The contract will have a 1-year base period with four 1-year option periods for a total period of performance of 60 months, an estimated value of over $50M if all option periods are exercised. The RFP and related information will be posted at www.epa.gov/oam/regions and at FBO.gov. Release of the RFP is anticipated on or about December 6, 2012. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/EPA/OAM/RegVII/SOL-R7-12-00021/listing.html

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE District, Alaska.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4017, Solicitation W911KB-13-R-0014Draft, 2012

The Government contemplates awarding three small-business IDIQ multiple award task order contracts (MATOCs) for Environmental Remediation Services (ERS), NAICS code 562910. The capacity for the restricted small business MATOC is $180M. This MATOC capacity will be shared among all awardees in the restricted small business MATOC pool. Files containing additional information, including the draft ERS RFP, are attached to the notice posted on FBO.gov. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA85/W911KB-13-R-0014Draft/listing.html

Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, VA.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4012, Solicitation DoDSBIR13-1, 2012

Small high-technology firms are encouraged to submit proposals to DoD for R&D projects with both military and commercial applications in response to the 2013.1 SBIR solicitation, which will be publicly released on www.dodsbir.net/solicitation/sbir131/default.htm on December 17, 2012. Proposals will be accepted until 6:00am ET on January 16, 2013. The R&D topics under which DoD is seeking proposals include the following examples from the Chemical and Biological Defense Program and the Air Force:

• CBD13-101: Responsive sequestration coatings that undergo a change in state upon exposures to chemical vapors and/or chemical or biological aerosols.
• CBD13-103: Advanced real-time surface contamination sensors.
• CBD13-104: Acousto-optic tunable filter-based spectral imaging for enhanced stand-off chemical detection.
• CBD13-105: Passive stand-off chemical detection based on colloidal quantum dot technology.
• AF131-024: Portable sensor for detecting airborne nanomaterials in an operational environment.
• AF131-030: Volatile organic compound odor signature modeling.

Participation in the DoD SBIR Program is restricted to small business firms organized for profit with 500 or fewer employees, including all affiliated firms. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/WHS/REF/DoDSBIR13-1/listing.html

NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), 2012

With this 2012 Request for Applications (RFA), NIEHS proposes the continuation of the Superfund Hazardous Substance Research and Training Program (P42) to address the complex health and environmental issues that arise from the multimedia nature of hazardous waste sites. SRP Center grants will support problem-based, solution-oriented research centers that consist of multiple, integrated projects representing both the biomedical and environmental science disciplines. The application deadline for the Multiproject Center grants is April 10, 2013. A free webinar will be held January 30, 2013, 1:30 to 3:00pm ET, to provide information about this RFA. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/dert/cris/programs/srp/funding/rfa/index.cfm

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE District, Savannah, GA.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4026, Solicitation W912HN-13-Z-0001, 2012

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, is conducting preliminary research to determine the market capabilities of potential section 8(a) contractors to support projects in a wide range of environmental services within the South Atlantic Division boundaries, which includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The environmental and base support services under NAICS code 562910 consist of environmental compliance, environmental restoration/remediation, environmental conservation, ecosystem restoration, pollution prevention, military munitions response, erosion and sediment control, storm water and water reuse, safety and industrial hygiene, quality assurance, facilities maintenance, inspection, energy management and base support. Interested service providers are invited to complete the market survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CC7GYV2 by 5:00pm ET, December 18, 2012. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USA/COE/DACA21/W912HN-13-Z-0001/listing.html

General Services Administration (GSA), Denver, CO.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-4019, Solicitation GSA_Region8_Source_List, 2012

GSA is seeking qualified potential sources to perform various environmental projects on the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood, Colorado, and throughout GSA Region 8 (Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota), under NAICS code 541620. All submittals are due no later than February 28, 2013. Responders will be notified by April 30, 2013, regarding their exercise evaluations and eligibility for inclusion on the GSA Region 8 sources list. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/GSA/PBS/8PD/GSA_Region8_Source_List/listing.html

Air Force Civil Engineering Center, Restoration Technical Support Branch.
Federal Business Opportunities, Solicitation AFCECBAA-13-001, 2012

The Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC), Restoration Technical Support Branch (formerly AFCEE) solicits proposals that demonstrate and validate innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective technologies or methodologies that will lead to accelerated closure of environmental sites across the Air Force and serve the Air Force's future environmental needs. The two Restoration Program areas of need for this announcement are remediation technologies for (1) perfluorinated compounds and (2) 1,4-dioxane. In situ remediation methods are of particular interest. All Phase I white papers/pre-proposals must be submitted via an online form at www.afcee.lackland.af.mil/contracting/baa. Each electronic submission should address only one area of need. Phase I submittals are due no later than 4:00pm CST, January 11, 2013. AFCEC will send the selection notifications by February 15, 2013, and Phase II proposals will be due March 19, 2013. https://www.fbo.gov/notices/43aa27431db0685be22659b9fb033f1c

Quinn, J.W.
2011 Florida Environmental Roundtable: Sustainable Thinking, November 3, 2011, Cape Canaveral, Florida. 20 slides, 2011

This presentation discusses the lessons learned during the transition of six environmental technologies developed under NASA sponsorship from the lab, to the field, and into the commercial marketplace. http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20120000076

U.S. EPA, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Washington, DC.
EPA 190-S-12-004, 12 pp, 2012

The term "fenceline monitoring" refers to the measurement of air pollution at industrial facilities and cleanup site boundaries. EPA prepared this primer to serve as a foundation and guide during the Technology Market Summit, May 14, 2012, for discussions of technological, regulatory, financial, and market-based issues that affect fenceline monitoring technology development. http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=P100EDIT.txt
Four presentations on the technology are available in the workshop proceedings at http://www.epa.gov/envirofinance/2012summit.html.

Stutte, G.W.
NASA Scientific and Technical Information Program, 8 pp, 2012

Within NASA, Dr. Bill Wolverton oversaw large-scale testing of bioregenerative life support systems at Stennis Space Center to demonstrate the beneficial role of plants in closed life-support systems, such as NASA's Biohome project. Following his retirement, continued research by Wolverton found that increasing the flow of air through a plant root system removes significantly more VOCs than can be extracted by a single traditional potted plant. This discovery was patented (U.S. Patent 5,433,923) and commercially developed as the Plant Air Purifier (U.S.) and the EcoPlanter (Japan). The planter contains high-efficiency carbon filters and a root-level circulation system that enable a plant to remove ~200 times more VOCs than a single traditionally potted plant. http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20120003454

Sherman, A.
MGP 2012: International Symposium and Exhibition on the Redevelopment of Manufactured Gas Plant Sites, 27-30 March 2012, Chicago, Illinois. Poster, 2012

Past industrial operations at this former MGP site situated on the Hudson River contaminated the site with coal tar, purifier waste, and petroleum. Although the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation had selected a remedy of large-scale excavation and in situ chemical oxidation, additional site characterization supported a revised remedy that has a substantial excavation component but also includes in situ solidification, which works in concert with the site geology to provide long-term containment of MGP residuals on site and support future site redevelopment. http://www.mgp2012.com/proceedings/content/pp_she.htm

Wilson, R. and Z. Cai.
Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments (CL:AIRE), London. SAB 6, 4 pp, 2012

This bulletin, the final SABRE (Source Area in situ BioREmediation) series installment, describes the approaches used for project performance monitoring and assessment, i.e., standard long-screened monitoring wells and discrete-point multilevel sampler transects to enable mass flux estimates. The project integrated lab and field investigations with process modeling and performance assessment, thereby expanding current understanding of in situ enhanced anaerobic bioremediation for the treatment of chlorinated solvent DNAPL source areas. Although initially announced in September 2010, bulletin SAB 6 was released in late 2012. http://www.claire.co.uk/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&article=300&category_id=3&Itemid=61

Cole, J., M. Singer, S. Offner, D. Williamson, J. Galligan, D. Phelan, S. Fournier, G. Heron, D. Timmons, P. King, and S. Trussell.
Eighth International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, May 20-24, 2012, Monterey, California. Battelle Press, Columbus, OH. 25 slides, 2012

In situ thermal remediation at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, relied on thermal conduction heating (164 wells installed 50-65 ft into the shallow aquifer) and steam injection (11 wells reaching 90 ft into the intermediate aquifer) to heat the subsurface to temperatures as high as 365°F. Vapor extraction wells (42) and multiphase extraction wells (23) completed between 45 and 90 ft bgs were located within and around the treatment zone for hydraulic and pneumatic gradient control during treatment. After 16 months of system operation in 2010-2011 and removal of ~165,000 lbs of PCE, the thermal systems achieved the revised remedial goals established under the performance-based contract.
Slides: http://www.ch2m.com/corporate/markets/environmental/conferences/battelle/Battelle_Cole_Steam-Enhanced_Extraction_Presentation.pdf
Additional information on this project was published in EPA's Technology News & Trends newsletter of October 2012 at http://cluin.org/products/newsltrs/tnandt/view_new.cfm?issue=1012.cfm#1.

Pensaert, S.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. 4 pp paper and 11 slides, 2012

The process that turns coal into coke basically consists of the dry distillation of the coal at high temperatures. This process eliminates the volatile and tarry compounds from which by-products such as coal tar and creosote can be made and generates many hazardous compounds, including PAHs, BTEX, mercury, and cyanides. Remediation of the Avenue coking works site in Chesterfield (UK) began in September 2009 and will be finished in late 2013. The nature of the contaminated materials on site requires the implementation of a combination of specially designed on-site treatment techniques: thermal desorption, bioremediation, complex sorting, and soil washing.
Paper: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-III-onsdag-2-Pensaert-short-paper1.pdf
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-III-2-Avenue-Coking-Works-Nordrocs-2012.pdf

U.S. EPA, Region 9 website, 2012

Originally built by the U.S. government to produce synthetic rubber during World War II, operations at the 280-acre Del Amo facility from 1943 until 1972 contaminated the site's soil and groundwater with BTEX and PAH compounds. A treatment system that combines soil vapor extraction (SVE) and bioventing has been operating since 2006. The system slowly extracts contaminated vapors, adds oxygen to most of the extracted vapors, re-injects them back into the ground, and sends the rest of them through a carbon adsorption unit. The re-injected vapors are recaptured by the extraction wells after bringing additional oxygen to the naturally occurring bacteria in the soil to promote aerobic biodegradation of the contaminants. From August 2006 to December 2009, the SVE system removed ~70,431 pounds of benzene. Background information and many technical reports are available on the Del Amo Region 9 Web page at http://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/sfund/r9sfdocw.nsf/BySite/Del%20Amo%20Facility?OpenDocument.

Pensaert, S. and B. Gerbrandts.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. Poster abstract, 2012

Pollutants associated with chlor-alkali production—metallic mercury, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and caustic soda—were found in soil and groundwater to a depth of 15 m at a decommissioned chlor-alkali plant in the Netherlands. Contractors successfully treated about 20,000 m³ of excavated mercury-contaminated soil on site in a mobile pilot soil-washing plant from spring 2011 through September 2011. The treated soil was reused on site. A mobile pump-and-treat system prevents the contaminated groundwater from migrating into a nearby canal.

Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), Project ER-200513, TR-2354-ENV, 57 pp, July 2012

Active recirculation and low-cost, passive, inject-and-drift strategies for large-scale bioaugmentation of chlorinated solvents in groundwater were evaluated in a side-by-side, full-scale source area comparison at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station Site 70 (California). Overall, bacterial growth and dechlorination performance was similar using both approaches, but the active approach was more costly at an estimated $2.5 million, compared to $1.5 million for the passive approach. For Seal Beach, active recirculation benefits do not appear to be justified by the increased costs, but conditions at other sites might receive more significant benefits from recirculation systems. http://www.serdp-estcp.org/content/download/16304/184998/file/ER-200513-C&P.pdf

Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), Project ER-200624, 140 pp, Aug 2012

Field demonstrations were conducted in the Anacostia River (Washington, DC) and at the San Diego and Pensacola Naval Bases to develop and standardize a procedure using field-deployable solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the in situ measurement of freely dissolved porewater concentrations of hydrophobic organics in sediments, as well as to demonstrate the relationship of these measurements to contaminant flux, bioavailability, and bioaccumulation. The primary difficulties associated with SPME are the time and cost of deployment and the complexities of interpreting results. http://www.serdp.com/content/download/15960/182413/file/ER-200624-C&P.pdf

Riis, C., M. Bymose, E. Cox, J. Wang, D. Gent, and M. Terkelsen.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. 4 pp paper and 23 slides, 2012

Electrokinetic (EK) injection presents an alternative for efficient and uniform delivery of bioremediation additives (e.g., bacteria, nutrients) into low-permeability soil. In tests, a Dehalococcoides (Dhc) strain uniformly injected with lactate ions in contaminated clay survived, grew, and promoted effective dechlorination during and after EK application. In addition to bioaugmented degradation, EK-driven transport of chlorinated ethenes was observed in the clay, which accelerated cleanup of chlorinated ethenes from the anode side. A successful 74-day pilot study of this EK-bio technique for remediation of PCE DNAPL was conducted at a site in Skuldelev, Denmark.
Paper: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-II-onsdag-4-Riis-Short-paper.pdf
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-II-4-Riis.pdf

Toerneman, N.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. 5-pp paper and 21 slides, 2012

Numerous studies have been published on treatment technologies for perfluorinated compounds [e.g., perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)] in waste and drinking water, but scientific works on soil and groundwater remediation technologies for these compounds are lacking. This paper contains a table for which many of the conclusions were inferred from knowledge of the technologies described and the specific demands that must be met for successful PFC remediation. A main conclusion is that no technologies are optimized for PFCs at present.
Paper: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-VI-torsdag-1-Torneman-short-paper.pdf
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-VI-1-Torneman-V2.pdf

Tuttle, K.J., B. Wejden, A. Fevang, and J. Skjefstad.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. 4 pp paper and 13 slides, 2012

In September 2010, ~40 kg of PFOS in fire suppressants was accidentally released into an infiltration gallery for surface-water runoff at the Oslo International Airport, Gardermoen. A 3-D numerical model was developed to simulate remediation scenarios for an optimal remediation setup. The chosen remediation approach for removing PFOS from groundwater was to rinse the groundwater to 300 ng/L PFOS via an activated carbon filter before re-infiltrating the treated water to flush the remaining PFOS. The re-infiltration design was modeled to limit the lateral migration of PFOS during infiltration and determine lateral re-infiltration sites and rates. A remediation timeframe of 5 to 6 years is estimated.
Paper: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-VI-torsdag-4-Tuttle-Short-paper.pdf
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-VI-4-Tuttle.pdf

Schaanning, M.T. and I. Allan.
Norwegian Institute for Water Research, REPORT SNO 6285-2012, 92 pp, 2012

A large-scale field study of in situ thin-layer capping was carried out at four sites in the dioxins-contaminated Grenlandfjord, Norway, to test and compare the effectiveness of active caps (2.5 cm thickness) consisting of powdered activated carbon (AC) mixed into clean clay, and nonactive caps (5 cm thickness) of clay without AC and of crushed limestone. Fields with areas of 10,000-40,000 m² were established at 30 to 100 m water depth. With clay and AC treatments, bioaccumulation and leakage of dioxins was 67-91% lower than at the uncapped reference fields. At the two fields treated with limestone gravel and dredged clay without activated carbon, cap efficiencies declined to less than 46% over a 2-year period. The use of activated carbon appeared not only to reduce the bioavailability of dioxins present below the cap, but also to reduce bioaccumulation and leakage of dioxins entering the cap after placement. http://www.ngi.no/upload/Prosjektweb/opticap/6285-2012-MTS-GrenalndExpDioxins.pdf.

Naeslund, J., G.S. Samuelsson, J.S. Gunnarsson, F.J.A. Nascimento, H.C. Nilsson, G. Cornelissen, and M.T. Schaanning.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol 449, 27-39, 2012

A study of two carbonaceous and seven mineral capping materials suggested for in situ remediation of contaminated sediments in the Grenland fjords, Norway, assessed the ecotoxicological effects of activated carbon, Kraft-lignin, sand and clay materials, and three industrial by-products. Capping efficacy was not evaluated. Generally, materials similar to the indigenous sediment (clay, sand) had relatively low deviations from the control (no capping), whereas large reductions in community richness and abundance were observed with industrial product (plaster, crushed marble) caps. Regardless of the cap material selected, results indicate that such remediation is likely to be accompanied by harmful effects on microorganisms, benthic fauna, or nutrient cycling, thus highlighting the potential utility of reducing harmful ecosystem effects from thin-layer capping by selecting capping materials based on robust multi-endpoint testing. http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps_oa/m449p027.pdf

Rakowska, M.I., D. Kupryianchyk, J. Harmsen, T. Grotenhuis, and A.A. Koelmans.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol 31 No 4, 693-704, Apr 2012

This review of current state-of-the-art use of carbonaceous materials (CM) for sediment remediation covers both technical and ecological angles, addressing how factors such as CM type, particle size and dosage, sediment characteristics, and properties of contaminants affect the effectiveness of CM amendment to immobilize organic contaminants in aquatic sediments. The authors also review the extent to which CM such as activated carbons or biochars might reduce contaminant bioaccumulation and toxicity and whether CM itself has negative effects on benthic species and communities. The presence of phases such as natural black carbon, oil, or organic matter in the sediment reduces the effectiveness of CM amendments.

Kupryianchyk, D., M.I. Rakowska, J.T.C. Grotenhuis, and A.A. Koelmans.
Environmental Science & Technology, Vol 46 No 9, 4975-4984, 2012

Although adding activated carbon (AC) to contaminated sediment binds chemicals such as PAHs, thus reducing toxicity, negative effects of AC on benthic organisms are reported. Results from a conceptual model used to quantify the trade-off, in terms of biomass changes, between the advantageous PAH toxicity reduction and the negative effects of AC on populations of benthic species show that AC can protect the benthic habitat safely against considerable sediment PAH concentrations as long as the AC dosage remains below 4%.

Oen, A.M.P., E.M.L. Janssen, G. Cornelissen, G.D. Breedveld, E. Eek, and R.G. Luthy.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. Abstract and 20 slides, 2012

Two types of passive samplers were employed in a study conducted to measure vertical pore-water profiles of PCBs in an activated-carbon-amended contaminated mudflat in San Francisco Bay. Results from the polyethylene and polyoxymethlyene samplers show 80% reduction in PCB pore-water concentrations in the top 30 cm of the AC-amended sediment 30 months post-treatment, with higher concentrations in the deeper sediments. Both types of passive samplers were able to measure very low aqueous concentrations of organics.
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Session-I-3-Amy-Oen-Presentation.pdf

Maruya, K.A., P.F. Landrum, R.M. Burgess, and J.P. Shine.
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol 8 No 4, 659-673, 2012

If optimized and validated, several recently described methods for evaluating the bioavailability of sediment-associated contaminants could be applied to improve the applicability and broaden the scope of sediment quality assessment. Using methods such as equilibrium-based biomimetic extractions via either passive sampling devices (PSDs) or measures of rapidly desorbing contaminant pools, a bioavailability line of evidence (LOE) for organics is proposed based on PSD and equilibrium partitioning theory that can be employed as an independent LOE or in assessing causality in tiered toxicity identification evaluations. ftp://ftp.sccwrp.org/pub/download/DOCUMENTS/AnnualReports/2010AnnualReport/ar10_153_175.pdf Erratum (page 773): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ieam.1335/pdf.

Stern, E.A. and E. Peck.
NORDROCS 2012: 4th Nordic Joint Meeting on Remediation of Contaminated Sites, International Conference, September 18-21, 2012, Oslo, Norway. 4 pp paper and 49 slides, 2012

This presentation discusses a regional sediment management structure that balances physical, natural, and human systems and encompasses a sustainability driver.
Paper: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Joint-session-torsdag-1-Stern-Short-paper.pdf
Slides: http://nordrocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Joint-session-1-Stern-for-WEBSITE.pdf

Dang, V.D., D.M. Walters, and C.M. Lee.
American Journal of Environmental Sciences, Vol 8 No 1, 11-15, 2012

The authors conducted a study in Twelvemile Creek (Clemson, South Carolina) to examine the temporal trend of PCB-contaminated sediments. Historical PCB-laden discharges to the creek ended in 1975. Surface sediments sampled at four sites in fall 2008 and compared with concentrations measured in past studies indicated that PCBs near the source were dominated by lower chlorinated congeners, while heavy congeners persisted farther downstream. Physical and biochemical processes such as natural attenuation, mixing/dispersion, and PCBs degradation apparently are contributing to the decreasing concentrations. The congener pattern shift likely is attributable to loss via volatilization and export of contaminated sediment from the stream. Burial represents a potential means to prevent resuspension into the water column.

Feigl, Viktoria, Ph.D. thesis, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary, 17 pp, 2011

Chemical stabilizers—fly ashes, a mixture of fly ash and lime, and a combination of fly ash, lime and iron grit—were applied to metal-contaminated soil in field studies. The most effective stabilizer in agricultural soil, alkaline fly ash (pH=12.6), was able to reduce the amount of ammonium-acetate extractable Cd and Zn by 45% and 49%, respectively, and distilled water-soluble metals by more than 99% in study soils compared to untreated soil. The more fly ash added to the soil (1, 2, and 5 wt%), the more effective the stabilization. The one-time addition kept its stabilization efficiency during the full 2 years of study. Fly ash decreased soil toxicity (bacterial toxicity by 40-50% and plant toxicity by 30-50%) and reduced the amount of Cd and Zn bioaccumulated by a plant mixture. In mine soil, the combination of fly ash, lime, and iron grit effectively reduced arsenic mobility in mine wastes. Fly ashes from different sources displayed different efficiencies for stabilizing metals in soil. http://www.omikk.bme.hu/collections/phd/Vegyeszmernoki_es_Biomernoki_Kar/2012/Feigl_Viktoria/tezis_eng.pdf

Feigl, V., A. Anton, N. Uzinger, and K. Gruiz.
Water, Air & Soil Pollution, Vol 223 No 3, 1237-1247, 2012

The effectiveness of red mud, a by-product of bauxite processing, for stabilizing contaminated mine soil/waste and agricultural soil was assessed in a 2-year study. Addition of 5% (by weight) red mud decreased the highly mobile, water-extractable amount of Cd and Zn by 57% and 87%, respectively, in agricultural soil and by 73% and 79%, respectively, in mine soil. Addition of red mud had no effect on mine soil toxicity and decreased the Cd and Zn uptake of white mustard (Sinapis alba) test plants by 18-29%. Red mud applied to agricultural soil had no negative effects on plants and soil microbes while decreasing the amounts of mobile metals. This paper is temporarily available (Open Access) at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11270-011-0940-4?LI=true#page-1

Claassens, S., P.J. van Rensburg, D. Liebenberg, and L. van Rensburg.
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, Vol 223 No 3, 1091-1100, 2012

Previous work has been conducted to develop reference ranges of specific microbial community properties in post-mining sites as a practical approach to assessing rehabilitation success. The investigators compared assessment parameters indicative of microbial community function (enzymatic assays) and structure (phospholipid fatty acid analysis) in rehabilitated asbestos and coal discard sites to establish ranges of minimum and maximum values for these parameters in both types of sites. This paper is temporarily available (Open Access) at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11270-011-0927-1?LI=true#page-1

Wang, Z., C. Yang, Z. Yang, B. Hollebone, C.E. Brown, M. Landriault, J. Sun, S.M. Mudge, F. Kelly-Hooper, and D.G. Dixon.
Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Vol 14 No 9, 2367-2381, 2012

To refute the idea that all detectable hydrocarbons should be regulated as toxic petroleum hydrocarbons, researchers collected soil and plant samples from over 40 oil-contaminated and paired background sites in various Canadian provinces. Both PHCs and BOCs in these samples were determined quantitatively. The investigators found that the presence of petroleum-characteristic alkylated PAH homologues and biomarkers generally can be used as unambiguous indicators of the contamination of oil and petroleum product hydrocarbons, while the absence of petroleum-characteristic alkylated PAH homologues and biomarkers and the presence of abundant BOC can be used as unambiguous indicators of the predominance of natural organic compounds in soil samples. This paper reflects a larger report found at http://waterlooenvironmentalbiotechnology.com/pdfs/2012/21%20-%20Wang%20-%20Fingerprinting%20of%20Petroleum%20Hydrocarbons%20(PHCs)%20and%20other%20Biogenic%20Organic%20Compounds%20(BOCs)%20in%20the%202nd%20Set%20of%20Oil-contaminated%20and%20Background%20%20Soil%20Samples.pdf.

Blanco, Sara Gallego, Ph.D. thesis, University of Barcelona, 182 pp, 2012

An evaluation of the effect of an oleophilic fertilizer in enhancing microbial degradation of PAHs and reducing residual PAH concentration also targeted potential nutritional deficiencies during bioremediation, as well as the potential accumulation of partially oxidized toxic metabolites. Results from a study of the efficiency of the sunflower rhizosphere in PAH removal from partially remediated soils indicate that the sunflower rhizosphere enhances the removal of PAHs by promoting the selective growth of degradative bacteria, increasing bioavailability incrementally, and possibly favoring degradation processes through a specific mechanism associated with the composition of the root exudates. This thesis contains the manuscripts of four papers published in peer-reviewed journals. http://tesisenred.net/handle/10803/84069

Dearden, R.A., D.J. Noy, M.R. Lelliott, R. Wilson, and G.P. Wealthall.
Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2011.05.006, 2011

The invasion of DNAPL into fractured low-permeability deposits results in the formation of secondary source zones that represent a long-term source of VOCs to adjacent aquifers. This paper reports on a fractured mudstone secondary TCE source zone at an industrial site in the UK that was investigated as part of the SABRE (Source Area BioRemediation) project. The authors examine the role of heterogeneous fracture distributions in outward flux and conclude that flux prediction is possible without in-depth fracture characterization; instead, the focus should be on determining the surface area contributing contaminant mass to an aquifer, the contaminant concentration depth profiles, the hydraulic properties of the receiving aquifer, and the elapsed time since aquifer remediation. http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/18800/

Curry, Michael A., Master's thesis, University of New Hampshire, 111 pp, 2012

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is evaluating future treatment options for 1,4-dioxane contamination of small, groundwater-based private drinking water systems. The feasibility of removing dioxane from groundwater was investigated using the following point-of-entry (POE) treatment techniques: air stripping, carbon adsorption, direct UV photolysis, and UV-peroxide oxidation. Based on removal efficiency (<2 µg/L dioxane), capital and O&M costs, ease of use, and safety, carbon adsorption using a coconut-based carbon presented the most feasible option for a dioxane POE treatment system. http://www.crrc.unh.edu/students/1,4%20Dioxane%20THESIS%20_FINAL_8_23_12.pdf

Lima, A.T., P.J. Kleingeld, K. Heister, and J.P.G. Loch.
Electrochimica Acta, Vol 86, 142-147, 2012

A 159-day in situ electro-osmosis study was set up in a tar-contaminated clay soil at the site of a former asphalt factory in Olst, the Netherlands, to remove PAHs from the contaminated clay layer by applying an electric gradient of 12 V/m across the soil over an electrode distance of 1 m. With the movement of water by electro-osmosis and the addition of a non-ionic surfactant (Tween 8), the non-polar PAHs were dragged along by convection and removed from the fine soil fraction. After initial release into the anolyte solution due to extraction by Tween 8 and subsequent diffusion, PAH concentrations increased significantly in the electrode reservoirs at the cathode side after 9 days, indicating that the use of electro-osmosis together with a non-ionic surfactant is a feasible technique to mobilize non-polar organic contaminants in clayey soils.

Kim, W.-S., G.-Y. Park, D.-H. Kim, H.-B. Jung, S.-H. Ko, and K. Baek.
Electrochimica Acta, Vol 86, 89-95, 2012

In a pilot-scale field evaluation of the influence of electrode configuration for in situ electrokinetic remediation of As-, Cu-, and Pb-contaminated soil, dense electrode configurations drew high current under a constant voltage gradient, which raised soil temperature and consumed unnecessarily high amounts of electrical energy. The increase in soil temperature transported pore water from the bottom to the top soil layer, and contaminants co-transported by the water flow also accumulated in the top layer. The combination of groundwater flow, gravitational force, and electro-osmotic flow increased the residual fraction of As, the fraction of Cu bound to organic matter, and the fraction of Pb bound to organic matter and residual portion. The study results indicate the need to monitor groundwater flow and soil temperature during remediation and to minimize electrode configuration to avoid unnecessary transport of contaminants.

Poucher, S.L., G.A. Tracey, M.S. Johnson, and L.B. Haines.
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Vol 8 No 2, 246-261, Apr 2012

Five recent Records of Decision for Army CERCLA sites were selected for an evaluation of the ecological risk assessment approach and subsequent risk management process. Examining the remedial management process for the case study sites revealed that uncertainty in the risk assessment and decisions regarding appropriate spatial scales for both risk assessment and remediation were important factors influencing remedial action decisions. The case reviews also revealed that levels of documentation were variable from site to site and that protective conditions were determined using different methods at each site.

Reisinger, J., D. Burris, and E. Zellers.
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) Project ER-200702, 118 pp, July 2012

A field study was conducted in the vicinity of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to evaluate the use of a micro-scale gas chromatograph (µGC) prototype—dubbed "SPIRON"—to determine low TCE concentrations in indoor air. Concurrent reference samples were analyzed by TO-15 and also with a portable HAPSITE GC/MS. At a range of TCE concentrations in a house with known TCE vapor intrusion, comparison with the reference samples showed that the prototype's TCE accuracy was good above 2.3 ppb TCE but considerably less accurate below it due to interfering VOCs at the lower concentration levels. http://www.estcp.com/content/download/16343/185254/file/ER-200702-FR.pdf

Shimma, S., S. Miki, and M. Toyoda.
Journal of Environmental Monitoring, Vol 14, 1664-1670, 2012

Analysis of PCBs was performed with a miniature multi-turn time-of-flight analyzer called "MULTUM-S II," a portable, high-resolution mass spectrometer. At a resolution of 10,000, a limit of detection of 1 ppb was determined using a heptachlorinated biphenyl standard sample. This fast GC/HRMS analyzed 66 PCB congeners within 5 min. http://www.multum.jp/_userdata/ASMS2011poster_shimma.pdf

MacIntosh, D.L., T. Minegishi, M.A. Fragala, J.G. Allen, K.M. Coghlan, J.H. Stewart, and J.F. McCarthy.
Environmental Health, Vol 11 No 24, 10 pp, 2012

Increasing outdoor air ventilation, encapsulating caulk, and constructing a physical barrier over the encapsulated material were shown to be effective at reducing exposure concentrations of PCBs in indoor air and also preventing direct contact with PCB caulk. In-place mitigation methods such as these avoid the disruption and higher costs of demolition, disposal, and reconstruction required when PCB-containing building materials are removed from a building that will remain in use. Open Access to this publication at http://www.ehjournal.net/content/11/1/24.

U.S. EPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC.
EPA 600-R-12-034, 68 pp, Jan 2012

Based upon a comprehensive review and synthesis of conference proceedings and technical reports, this document offers a description and analysis of existing methods for management of PCBs in construction materials, with information (where available) on the strengths and limitations, efficacy, cost, and by-products of each remediation method. The report recommends the selection of remediation methods for each building on a case-by-case basis. http://nepis.epa.gov/Adobe/PDF/P100EHYK.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, 2012

The information on these Web pages is designed to assist building owners and abatement contractors who handle PCB-containing or PCB-contaminated building materials during planned renovation/repair activities or planned PCB abatement efforts in older buildings. The page has the following subsections: facts about PCBs in caulk; steps to safe renovation and repair activities; how to test for PCBs and characterize suspect materials; steps to safe PCB abatement activities; and a summary of suggested tools and methods for caulk removal. http://www.epa.gov/pcbsincaulk/guide/index.htm

U.S. EPA, 33 pp, 2011

This document supplements EPA's 2008 Planning for Natural Disaster Debris guidance (www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/imr/cdm/pubs/pndd.pdf) to provide more detailed information on the management of PCB-containing disaster debris in emergency situations that arise from natural disasters. The focus is on PCB-containing electrical equipment and materials contaminated by PCBs as a result of spills or other environmental releases. While specifically addressing PCB releases caused by natural disasters (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, floods), this information also can be useful for other types of emergency situations, such as explosions. http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/homeland/docs/pcb-disposal.pdf

U.S. EPA, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, 3 pp, 24 Oct 2012

EPA has published a memorandum that finalizes a reinterpretation of its position regarding PCB-contaminated building materials. The reinterpretation specifically addresses the definitions of bulk product waste (e.g., PCB-contaminated caulk or paint) and remediation waste (e.g., PCB contaminated masonry or concrete). This distinction affects the appropriate cleanup requirements and disposal options. The reinterpretation will allow building material (i.e., substrate) "coated or serviced" with PCB bulk product waste (e.g., caulk, paint, mastics, sealants) at the time of disposal to be managed as a PCB bulk product waste, even if the PCBs have migrated from the overlying bulk product waste into the substrate. A diagram highlights the changes to the definitions. www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/caulk/reinterpret.htm

U.S. EPA, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
EPA 542-F-12-029, 6 pp, Oct 2012

In situ thermal remediation technologies—electrical resistance heating, thermal conductive heating, and steam enhanced extraction—typically involve significant energy consumption. This fact sheet describes processes, equipment, and analytical tools that can be used to reduce the environmental footprint of such applications. These best management practices (BMPs) also address other core elements of a greener cleanup for a contaminated site: reducing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water use and negative impacts on water resources, improving materials management and waste reduction efforts, and protecting ecosystem services. The BMP recommendations are relevant to the design, construction, O&M, and monitoring phases of an in situ thermal project. https://www.clu-in.org/greenremediation/docs/GR_factsheet_IST.pdf

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has developed several national implementation plan (NIP) guides for specific POPs, in addition to its overall NIP guidance. Each guide offers background information on the production and use of a particular chemical or chemical group, a method for developing a national inventory for the chemical (with a view to mitigating or eradicating its use and presence in the environment), and an inventory approach for related potentially contaminated sites.

• Guidance for Developing, Reviewing, and Updating a NIP for POPs (2012)
  http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=1002584
• Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Related Chemicals (2012)
  http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=1002575
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (2012)
  http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=1002576

Knepper, T.P. and F.T. Lange (eds).
Springer, New York, ISBN: 978-3-642-21871-2, Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol 17, 200 pp, 2012

Although polyfluorinated chemicals (also referred to as perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, e.g., PFOA and PFOS) are in widespread use, their effects on the environment and human health are a cause for increasing concern. This text discusses the chemistry, properties, and uses of commercial fluorinated surfactants; sorption and leaching behavior of perfluorinated compounds in soil; and PFCs environmental occurrence and treatment options. The table of contents with abstracts is available at http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-21872-9/page/1.

Commission for Environmental Cooperation website, 2012

In Submission SEM-11-001 of 11 January 2011 (PCB Treatment in Grandes-Piles, Quebec), Bennett Environmental Inc. (BEI) submitted a study containing a review of the use of in situ chemical oxidation for destruction of PCBs. The study found no evidence that, outside a laboratory context, at a commercial scale, chemical oxidation can reduce PCB concentrations in contaminated soils to meet maximum levels for landfilling set by the Act and Regulations of Canada. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation Secretariat reviewed SEM-11-001, and its determinations are recorded at http://www.cec.org/Page.asp?PageID=2001&ContentID=5608&SiteNodeID=250.
Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, Canada, developed the PCB treatment review submitted by BEI: Chemical Oxidation Treatment and/or Destruction of Polychlorinated Biphenyl-(PCB-) Contaminated Soil: http://www.cec.org/Storage/97/9557_Appendix_F-CRA_Report-e.pdf.

American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE), Excellence in Environmental Engineering Awards, 2012

U.S. EPA's Arsenic Demonstration Program, led by Engineer in Charge Thomas J. Sorg, received the AAEE 2012 Honor Award for Research. The 8-year demonstration program, which officially ended on September 30, 2011, consisted of 50 demonstration projects in 26 different states on commercially available, full-scale treatment technologies operating under a variety of conditions. This complex program involved 14 different equipment vendors of treatment systems based on different types of adsorptive media (AM), coagulation/filtration, iron removal, iron removal followed with AM, ion exchange, point-of-entry reverse osmosis (RO), and point-of-use RO. The performance and cost information developed from the Arsenic Demonstration Program is considered the most comprehensive set of research data ever collected on drinking water treatment technologies design for a specific problem. Details at www.aaee.net/E32012HonorResearch.php.

American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE), Excellence in Environmental Engineering Awards, 2012

The AAEE recognized Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc. for the first-ever use of vetiver plants for landfill leachate treatment in the western hemisphere. The standard for leachate disposal (load, haul, and dump) has been expanded by the concept of utilizing leachate as a resource. The use of vetiver for leachate phytoremediation was further advanced by incorporating a specialized subsurface drip-irrigation system to distribute leachate year-round. Details at http://www.aaee.net/E32012GPSmallProjects.php.

Briggs, M.
Air Force Civil Engineer Center Public Affairs News Release, 2 Oct 2012

Effective 1 October 2012, the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE) and Air Force Real Property Agency merged with the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency to form the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), a new civil engineering field operating agency. AFCEC functions encompass the areas of construction, energy, environment, housing, operations, planning, real property, and readiness and emergency management. The Environmental Center of Excellence will operate in the Kelly Annex at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123320540
Additionally, the Environment Operations and Services (EOS) effort, which addresses environmental needs at Air Force installations, is on hold as a result of the AFCEC standup, pending further review by the government. https://www.fbo.gov/notices/d3b225c8b8319c37655ac16b911d6996

National Research Council.
National Academies Press, Washington, DC. ISBN-10: 0-309-26736-6, 192 pp, 2012

DoD asked the National Research Council to determine whether current exposure standards for lead on DoD firing ranges protect its workers adequately. The workers are exposed to lead recurrently when they handle ammunition, conduct maintenance on ranges, and inhale lead dust released into the air by gunfire. The committee also considered measures of cumulative lead dose. The report indicates that DoD should review its exposure guidelines and practices for protecting workers at firing ranges and consider lowering acceptable blood lead levels. The recommendations in this report will help to inform decisions about setting new air exposure limits for lead on firing ranges, whether to implement limits for surface contamination, and how to design appropriate lead-surveillance programs for range personnel. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18249