Technology Innovation News Survey

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, R-1 Northern Region.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-5032, Solicitation AG-0343-S-16-0003, 2015

The Forest Service intends to issue this future procurement as a request for proposals. The requirement is a total small business set-aside. Bluffs F, G, and I are found at the Riley Pass Uranium Mine site, which is located in North Cave Hills of the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Harding County, South Dakota. Work under this contract will consist of excavating contaminated waste from bluff areas, placing excavated waste into the Bluff I Repository, and regrading and planting the repository and spoils material left in place on steep slopes. A pre-bid tour is scheduled for January 12, 2016, at 10:00 AM MT, weather permitting. Project magnitude is projected to be between $1M and $5M. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/FS/343/AG-0343-S-16-0003/listing.html

U.S. Department of Energy, 2015

The Department of Energy is soliciting proposals for its FY2016 SBIR and STTR grant programs. A letter of intent to participate is due by December 21, 2015. Full proposals, if requested, are due February 9, 2016. Award notification is anticipated in May 2016. Among DOE's many areas of interest, two broad environmental topics relevant to novel monitoring concepts in the subsurface are highlighted. (1) On-site and field tools and sensors for monitoring mercury in water and soil are needed to augment and eventually replace incremental laboratory analysis of discrete samples for either characterization or regulatory compliance applications. (2) Sorbents or sequestration agents are needed for long-term in situ deployment to address anionic contaminants (e.g., pertechnetate and various iodine species). Instructions for completing the grant application package are contained in the full text of the announcement posted on FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/?doc=DE-FOA-0001417&agency=DOE. The Phase 1, Release 2 areas of interest are posted in a PDF file at http://science.energy.gov/sbir/funding-opportunities/.

Department of Veterans Affairs, Rocky Mountain Acquisition Center, Glendale CO.
Federal Business Opportunities, FBO-5024, Solicitation VA25916Q0008, 2015

The Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office intends to obtain enhanced fluid recovery (groundwater testing) services for the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System. The contract start date is anticipated to be January 10, 2016 with one base year, four one-year options, and one 6-month optional extension. The NAICS code is 562910, with a size standard of $19.0M. The solicitation will be made available only on the FedBizOpps website in the latter half of December 2015. This requirement is a 100% small business set-aside. https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/VARMCCC/VARMCCC/VA25916Q0008/listing.html

U.S. EPA Region 3, 2 pp, 2015

The Spectron Inc. Superfund site is located on ~8 acres near Elkton, Maryland, in a rural residential area. A paper mill occupied the site until it was destroyed by fire in 1954, and solvent recycling operations occurred there from 1962 to 1988. Liquid materials processed at the facility included halogenated ethenes and ethanes, chlorofluorocarbons, chlorobenzenes, and various alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons. Both LNAPLs and DNAPLs were released during active solvent recycling operations, resulting in contaminated soil, overburden groundwater, bedrock groundwater, and DNAPL seeps along the western bank of Little Elk Creek. For the soil and overburden groundwater (OU-1) remedy, EPA approved the remedial design for the in situ thermal treatment system on September 29, 2014, and construction of the system began in March 2015. Remedial design of the OU-1 asphalt (or equivalent) cap portion of the remedy is currently underway. http://www.earthdatane.com/uploads/3/5/9/9/3599101/epa_fact_sheet.pdf

Cedzo, A. and R. Gillespie.
RemTech 2015: Remediation Technologies Symposium, 56 slides, 2015

The PlumeStop® technology platform provides a colloidal biomatrix for contaminated sites that rapidly reduces contaminant concentrations while enhancing bioremediation of a wide range of contaminants. The platform has a dual function: it sorbs contaminants quickly, removing them from the mobile phase, and provides a high surface area matrix favorable for microbial colonization and growth. The presentation highlights several case studies. (1) At a Midwest manufacturing facility, the liquid activated carbon solution was coupled with a slow-release electron donor to control migration of a TCA and TCE plume off site. Long-term performance data (18 months) showed up to a 99% reduction in contaminant concentrations. (2) Representative data are reported from three legacy sites in California: a dry cleaner, a site with mixed plumes from a former dry cleaner and a service station, and an active gas station. Although the legacy sites had been stuck in a monitoring-only phase for several years, a combined approach with in situ bioremediation and sorption rapidly reduced contaminant concentrations below regulatory standards. (3) At a brownfield site in downtown Chicago, groundwater affected by PCE and TCE was the primary concern. With time/cost-sensitive redevelopment deadlines rapidly approaching, a fast and permanent remediation strategy was required. Treatment implementation was completed in 17 days of field work during a Chicago winter.
Slides: http://www.esaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/15-Cedzo.pdf
Longer abstract: http://www.esaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2015Abstracts-73.pdf

Region Midtjylland, 246 pp, 2014

Groyne 42 is a former organophosphorous pesticide (OPP) manufacturing waste disposal site located on the west coast of Denmark. The site covers an area of 20,000 m² situated close to the North Sea. Chemical wastes were disposed of there from 1953 to 1962. Contaminants believed to pose the greatest risk to the North Sea include parathion, methyl parathion, malathion, ethyl sulfotep, mercury, and EP1- and EP2-acid. The OPPs and associated contaminants are present as residual DNAPL in site hot spots, but little DNAPL is found as a mobile separate phase. Under the NorthPestClean project, field trials were conducted at Groyne 42 to evaluate (1) the efficiency of in situ alkaline hydrolysis (ISAH) to treat soil and groundwater affected by the OPPs in a large-scale pilot test, and (2) the effect and feasibility of technology enhancement approaches (i.e., delivery of hydroxide solution to the target treatment zone and in situ mixing) in side-by-side pilot studies. The pilot data will support design and cost estimation for full-scale ISAH remediation at the site. The Technical University of Denmark is developing measurable remediation stop criteria for full-scale ISAH implementation at Groyne 42. http://www.northpestclean.dk/siteassets/northpestclean/publikationer/npc/2014/2014-07-02-final-report_version-3-incl-appendix.pdf Main project site: http://www.eng.northpestclean.dk/

Community Advisory Group Presentation, 29 slides, 2015

A field-scale pilot study is proposed to demonstrate a bioremediation technology to address environmental issues associated with sediments at the Passaic River Superfund site in New Jersey. The pilot study would be performed under the direction of its principal architect, Dr. John Pardue, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Louisiana State University. The pilot study will be sponsored by Maxus Energy Corporation and Tierra Solutions Inc. The purpose of the pilot is to evaluate the feasibility of effectively stimulating the bacteria in the sediments to promote biodegradation of dioxin contamination and also to determine whether the proposed amendments can be injected uniformly into the sediments. http://passaic.sharepointspace.com/Public%20Documents/Passaic%20CAG%20Presentation%20Mar2015-Bioremediation.pdf See also a 2014 statement of work for the project at http://in-ecobioremediation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Letter-to-James-Woolford.pdf.

Lacina, P., V. Dvorak, E. Vodickova, P. Barson, J. Kalivoda, and S. Goold.
Water Environment Research, Vol 87 No 4, 326-333, 2015

A one-year in situ pilot-scale application of nano zero-valent iron (NZVI) was conducted to remediate groundwater affected by chlorinated ethenes in the area of a metal fabrication industrial facility in the Czech Republic. Ten kilograms of NZVI were applied as a water suspension into the selected borehole. Significant decreases in concentrations of selected contaminants were observed in the first month after application. Reaction in the borehole was completed within ~5 to 6 months following application, and close to 50% elimination of contamination was achieved during this period.

City of Berkeley [California], Office of the City Manager, 22 pp, Feb 2015

The South Berkeley Bioremediation Garden Project on the Santa Fe Right-of-Way is a pilot project, a collaboration of UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, and Berkeley Partners for Parks (BPFP), a community organization dedicated to the health and well-being of Berkeley parks. In 2012, the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Community Partnership Fund awarded a grant of $40,000 to the BPFP to conduct a phytoremediation project on the Santa Fe Right-of-Way by planting the Chinese brake fern, Pteris vittata, an arsenic hyperaccumulator. The project also aims to educate the public and the scientific community about this remediation method. On October 16, 2012, the Berkeley City Council licensed BPFP to conduct the project for a 2-year period. In 2014, the project received a new grant of $23,968 from the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, a Japanese government-funded research institute based in Kyoto, Japan, to continue the project for another two years. As the Licensee, BPFP is responsible for all aspects of the site that are modified as the result of the project. http://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/2015/02_Feb/Documents/2015-02-24_Item_08_License_Agreement_No_2.aspx Additional project information: http://ecologycenter.org/tag/santa-fe-right-of-way/.

Sowers, K.R.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol 47 No 7, 261, 2015

Work is ongoing to develop and test the efficacy of a bioamended form of granular activated carbon (GAC) embedded with microorganisms to sequester PCBs from the food chain and concurrently dechlorinate and degrade weathered PCBs in sediment. Two field pilot studies were initiated to demonstrate and validate this environmentally sustainable technology in PCB-contaminated sites. In mesocosm treatability studies for both sites, PCB levels declined up to 80% after bioaugmentation treatment. Effects of different quantities and types of inocula on total PCBs, congener distribution, and bioavailability were determined to assess optimal field application. Among the challenges for the field studies were development of methods for production level scale-up of the microorganisms without residual persistent organic pollutants; production of an activated carbon agglomerate, SediMite™, modified as a carrier for the bioamendments; development of a system to introduce active PCB-transforming microorganisms into SediMite pellets during pellet dispersal; and maintaining viability of the anaerobes and aerobes during the deployment process. More information: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~sowers/Field.html.

Izbicki, J.A., D. O'Leary, M.K. Burgess, Th. Kulp, D. Suarez, T. Barnes, C. Ajwani, T.J. Kim, and I. Tseng.
Water Research Foundation, Web Report #4299, 80 pp, 2015

The Antelope Valley within the Mojave Desert of southern California contains a shallow water-table aquifer with As concentrations of 5 µg/L and a deeper aquifer with As concentrations of 30 µg/L (the EPA MCL is 10 µg/L). To treat the groundwater and recharge the site's shallow water table aquifer, more than 120,000 m³ of high-As groundwater was pumped from the deep aquifer into a 0.27-acre pond and allowed to filter through a 260-ft unsaturated zone between December 2010 and July 2012. Infiltrating water reached the water table in January 2013. Concentrations fell from 30 to 2 µg/L As as the water passed though the unsaturated zone. Results suggest that long-term land-use restrictions on sites used for in situ As treatment may not be needed to control water applied to surface materials; however, future land uses that might alter redox conditions in the subsurface should be avoided, such as infiltration of stormwater recharge or recharge with other water having high organic carbon concentrations (including unsewered residential land use and dairy or other confined animal operations). http://ca.water.usgs.gov/pubs/2015/IzbickiEtAl2015-2.html

Poeritz, M., C.L. Schiffmann, G. Hause, U. Heinemann, J. Seifert, N. Jehmlich, M. von Bergen, I. Nijenhuis, and U. Lechner.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol 81 No 2, 587-596, 2015

Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain DCMB5, a strain originating from dioxin-polluted river sediment, was examined for its capacity to dehalogenate diverse chloroaromatic compounds. Strain DCMB5 used hexachlorobenzenes, pentachlorobenzenes, all three tetrachlorobenzenes, and 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene as well as 1,2,3,4-tetra- and 1,2,4-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as electron acceptors for organohalide respiration. In addition, 1,2,3-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 1,3-, 1,2-, and 1,4-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin were dechlorinated, the latter to the nonchlorinated congener in a short lag phase of 1 to 4 days following transfer. Strain DCMB5 also dechlorinated pentachlorophenol and almost all tetra- and trichlorophenols. PCE was dechlorinated to TCE and served as an electron acceptor for growth. http://aem.asm.org/content/81/2/587.full

Capiro, N.L., F.E. Loeffler, and K. D. Pennell.
Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Vol 182, 78-90, 2015

Changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of the organohalide-respiring Dehalococcoides mccartyi (Dhc) strains and Geobacter lovleyi strain SZ (GeoSZ) were examined in a heterogeneous PCE DNAPL source zone within a 2D lab-scale aquifer flow cell. Flushing with 2.3 pore volumes (PVs) of 4% (w/w) solution of Tween® 80 surfactant removed 55% of the initial contaminant mass and resulted in a PCE distribution that contained 51% discrete ganglia and 49% pools. Subsequent bioaugmentation with the PCE-to-ethene-dechlorinating consortium BDI-SZ resulted in cis-DCE formation after 1 PV (~7 days), while VC and ethene were detected 10 PVs after bioaugmentation. Maximum ethene yields (~90 µM) within DNAPL pool and ganglia regions coincided with the detection of the vcrA reductive dehalogenase (RDase) gene that exceeded the Dhc 16S rRNA genes by 2.0±1.3 and 4.0±1.7-fold in the pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Dhc and GeoSZ cell abundance increased by up to 4 orders of magnitude after 28 PVs of steady-state operation, with 1 to 2 orders of magnitude increases observed in close proximity to residual PCE. Observations suggest the involvement of these dechlorinators in PCE dissolution enhancements of up to 2.3- and 6.0-fold within pool and ganglia regions, respectively. Sample analysis at the end of the experiment showed that the highest VC (≥155 µM) and ethane (≥65 µM) concentrations were measured in zones where Dhc and GeoSZ were predominately attached to the solids. These findings demonstrate dynamic responses of organohalide-respiring bacteria in a heterogeneous DNAPL source zone, and emphasize the influence of source zone architecture on bioremediation performance. http://web.utk.edu/~microlab/LoefflerLab/Publications_files/Capiro%20et%20al%202015%20biobox%20JCH.pdf

Oh, S.-Y. and D.-S. Shin. Soil and Sediment Contamination, Vol 24 No 2, 157-171, 2015

Alkaline hydrolysis and subcritical water degradation were investigated as ex situ remediation processes to treat soil contaminated with explosives constituents from military training sites in South Korea. The addition of sodium hydroxide (lye, or NaOH) solution to the soil resulted in rapid explosives degradation. A pH ≥12 greatly enhanced explosives degradation via alkaline hydrolysis. In subcritical water degradation, DNT, TNT, and RDX were completely removed at 200-300°C by oxidation at high temperatures and pressures. The degradation rate increased as temperature increased. A soil-to-water ratio >1:5 significantly inhibited the extent of alkaline hydrolysis and subcritical water degradation.

Oh, S.-Y. and M.-K. Yoon.
Soil and Sediment Contamination, Vol 24 No 4, 423-436, 2015

Soil samples from abandoned mines in South Korea were heavily contaminated with As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. The extent of metals removed from the contaminated soils by extractants varied according to the chemical forms of the metals in the soil. As temperature increased, As extraction increased accordingly, showing 92-100% removal with 100 mM of NaOH at 300°C. In contrast, cationic metals extraction by citric acid and EDTA decreased markedly at 200-300°C because decarboxylation and dehydration at high temperatures limited their chelating ability. Results indicate that chemical extraction of cationic metals under subcritical conditions is affected by factors such as character of metal, type of extracting reagent, chemical form of metal in the soil, temperature, and soil pH.

Zhang, P., J.D. Van Nostrand, Z. He, R. Chakraborty, Y. Deng, D. Curtis, M.W. Fields, T.C. Hazen, A.P. Arkin, and J. Zhou.
Environmental Science & Technology, Vol 49 No 21, 12922-12931, 2015

Previous work showed that a one-time amendment of polylactate hydrogen-release compound (HRC) reduced groundwater Cr(VI) concentrations for >3.5 years at a contaminated aquifer. To test hypotheses that HRC amendment would significantly change the composition and structure of groundwater microbial communities, and that the abundance of key functional genes involved in HRC degradation and electron acceptor reduction would increase long term in response to this slowly degrading, complex substrate, groundwater microbial communities were monitored after HRC amendment for >1 year using a comprehensive functional gene microarray. After HRC amendment, the overall functional composition and structure of groundwater microbial communities underwent sequential shifts; particularly, the abundance of functional genes involved in acetate oxidation, denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction, metal reduction, and sulfate reduction significantly increased. Results suggest that HRC amendment primarily stimulated key functional processes associated with HRC degradation and reduction of multiple electron acceptors in the aquifer toward long-term Cr(VI) reduction. http://hazenlab.utk.edu/files/pdf/2015Zhang_etal_EST_ASAP.pdf

De Simone, G., G. Galli, C. Lucchetti, and P. Tuccimei.
Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, Vol 13, 104-107, 2015

Radon concentration in soil gas can be employed to trace the presence of gasoline contamination because it is very soluble in hydrocarbons. Radon available in the soil pores accumulates in the contaminated volume, producing a local deficit at shallow depth that can be easily mapped. The suitability of this method was verified by field simulation of a gasoline spill and lab experiments where known amounts of a volcanic tuff contaminated with increasing gasoline showed proportional drops of radon exhalation rates. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187852201500168X/pdf?md5=2627f5b124a4a7ae84f5c8961377c65e&pid=1-s2.0-S187852201500168X-main.pdf

Pisano, A., F. Bignami, and R. Santoleri.
Remote Sensing, Vol 7 No 1, 1112-1134, 2015

A methodology to detect oil spills using MODIS near-infrared sun-glittered radiance imagery was developed by using a set of seven MODIS images (training dataset) and validated using four other images (validation dataset). In the R image, clean water pixel values tend to one, while oil spills stand out as anomalies. The authors provide a criterion to distinguish between positive and negative oil-water contrast. The methodology represents a novel and promising, though preliminary, approach toward automatic oil spill detection in optical satellite images. http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/7/1/1112

Xie, X., Y. Wang, K. Pi, C. Liu, J. Li, Y. Liu, Z. Wang, and M. Duan.
Science of the Total Environment, Vol 527-528, 38-46, 2015

A technique for in situ arsenic (As) removal from groundwater by an aquifer iron coating was optimized by simulating As removal in various quartz sand columns under anoxic conditions. Effectiveness was then evaluated in an actual high-As groundwater environment. The aquifer iron coating method was developed via a 4-step alternating injection of oxidant, iron salt, and oxygen-free water, which formed a uniform goethite coating on the surface of quartz sand without causing clogging. In situ As removal from groundwater in an aquifer was achieved by simultaneous injections of As(V) and Fe(II) reagents. The high As removal efficiency of the coating technology likely resulted from the expanded specific surface area of the small goethite particles, which enhanced As sorption capability and As coprecipitation on the goethite particle surface.

Xie, X., K. Pi, Y. Liu, C. Liu, J. Li, Y. Zhu, C. Su, T. Ma, and Y. Wang.
Journal of Hazardous Materials, Vol 302, 19-26, 2016

An aquifer Fe-coating technology was evaluated for in situ As remediation in groundwater characterized by low dissolved Fe(II) concentration and high As(III) concentration. Dissolved Fe(II) (5.0 mM) and NaClO (2.6 mM) were injected into the aquifer to promote the formation of Fe oxides/hydroxides and to oxidize As(III) into As(V), thus removing aqueous As via adsorption and coprecipitation. During the study, As concentration in groundwater from the pumping well declined significantly. Fe and As speciation calculations indicate that incorporation of negatively charged As(V) into goethite was the probable mechanism for As removal. Both chemical sequential extraction results and spectroscopic data also support that alternating injection of Fe(II) and NaClO can achieve aquifer Fe coating and immobilize As via adsorption onto Fe oxides/hydroxides.

University of Missouri News, 2015

Under funding provided by the National Science Foundation and the University of Missouri Intellectual Property Fast Track Initiative, this project will complete research to convert the novel application of actively enhanced pervious concrete (AEPC) to polluted groundwater treatment into a licensable technology. Preliminary results with AEPC installed in permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) indicated a high potential for success. A provisional patent was filed in spring 2014. The AEPC contains fly ash, which is most commonly used as a supplementary cementitious material in concrete and for stabilization of clays. The high sulfur and carbon levels in the fly ash, though problematic in other uses, are beneficial for removal of contaminants in groundwater. Coupling these waste fly ash materials in pervious concrete for PRB emplacement utilizes the sorptive capacity of both fly ash and carbonates within the mix. http://info.umkc.edu/scenews/tag/enhanced-pervious-concrete-as-a-permeable-reactive-barrier-technology/

Akbarnejad-Nesheli, S., O. Haddad, and H. Loaiciga.
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste, [released online prior to publication] 2015

Minimizing bioremediation design and operational costs along with the sum of squared cleanup standard violations (SCSV) are the two main objectives of this study. Optimization results are presented in the form of Pareto possibility frontiers. A model from the literature and a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm are used for groundwater simulation and optimization, respectively, in this work. Multi-objective optimization results yielded a Pareto frontier that can be used by regulators to select the best design tradeoff between cleanup standard requirements and financial resources. For example, an optimal option that reduces total cost about 51.3% increases the SCSV about 1.9%. Moreover, the option that increases the SCSV by about 12.6% decreases the total cost equal to 76.2%. A sensitivity analysis was performed for some of the bioremediation parameters (e.g., hydraulic conductivity, initial oxygen concentration, injected oxygen concentration, remediation time, and ratio of oxygen to hydrocarbon consumed). Results show that hydraulic conductivity and remediation time had the greatest impact on bioremediation effectiveness.

Zhang, P., W.-M. Wu, J.D. Van Nostrand, Y. Deng, Z. He, T. Gihring, G. Zhang, C.W. Schadt, D. Watson, P. Jardine, C.S. Criddle, S. Brooks, T.L. Marsh, J.M. Tiedje, A. Arkine, and J. Zhou.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, [released online prior to publication] 2015

A pilot-scale field study demonstrated that a one-time amendment of emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) reduced groundwater U(VI) concentrations for one year in a fast-flowing aquifer. Groundwater microbial communities analyzed using a comprehensive functional gene microarray after EVO amendment showed that the amendment stimulated sequential shifts in the functional composition and structure of groundwater microbial communities. Observations suggest that EVO amendment stimulated dynamic succession of key functional microbial communities. These results improve the general scientific understanding of the composition, structure, and function changes needed for groundwater microbial communities to sustain long-term U(VI) reduction. http://aem.asm.org/content/early/2015/04/08/AEM.00043-15.full.pdf+html

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA. Product 3002004104, 38 pp, 2014

Options for remediating tar in bedrock and the possibility of obtaining a Technical Impracticability waiver (or state equivalent) have been handled on a site-specific basis. This report provides broader perspective on the issue by evaluating some available technologies—surfactant/solvent flushing, pump and treat, steam-enhanced extraction, thermal conduction heating, electrical resistance heating, and in situ chemical oxidation—with respect to a range of typical MGP tars and fractured bedrock settings. The report also contains a list of MGP sites that have remediated or currently are remediating tar in bedrock. http://www.epri.com/abstracts/Pages/ProductAbstract.aspx?ProductId=000000003002004104

Smith, M.B., A.M. Rocha, and C.S. Smillie, et al.
mBio, Vol 6 No 3, e00326-15, 13pp, 2015

Bacterial communities respond to and capture perturbations caused by human impacts. Study results indicate how DNA from natural bacterial communities can be used as a quantitative biosensor to accurately distinguish unpolluted sites from those contaminated with uranium, nitrate, or oil. This paper is Open Access at http://mbio.asm.org/content/6/3/e00326-15.

Doni, S., C. Macci, C. Martinelli, R. Iannelli, P. Brugnoli, S. Lampis, G. Vallini, and G. Masciandaro.
Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, 3-5 September 2015, Rhodes, Greece. 5 pp, 2015

An enzyme-enhanced bioremediation technology was evaluated in raw hydrocarbon-contaminated sediments from the Livorno harbor and in two granulometric fractions separated in a sediment-washing facility: a silt-clay fraction (<63 µm) and a sand fraction (>63 µm <200 µm). The experiment was carried out in three matrices (raw sediment, silt-clay, and sand fractions) treated and untreated (control) with bioactivators (a mixture of microorganisms, enzymes, and synergists). Sediment physical, chemical, and biological properties were analyzed at the initial sampling time and again three months later. The bioactivator application increased microbial respiration and hydrolytic enzyme activities in all the treated matrices, including the silt-clay fraction, but neither treated nor untreated silt-clay realized significant degradation of organic pollutants; however, a significant TPH reduction (~50%) was observed in sand and raw sediment matrices during the treatment period. http://cest.gnest.org/cest15proceedings/public_html/papers/cest2015_00298_oral_paper.pdf

Williams, M., G. Reddy, M. Quinn, and M. Johnson (eds).
Elsevier, New York. ISBN: 978-0-12-800020-5, 675 pp, 2015

Sponsored by the Toxicology Portfolio of the Army Institute of Public Health (AIPH), this text is a compendium of chemical-specific toxicity information that contains discussions on the rationale and development of Wildlife Toxicity Reference Values intended for use on terrestrial wildlife for risk assessment applications. The 33 substances covered include military-related chemicals (explosives [including perchlorate], propellants, pesticides) and metals (antimony and thallium). Following an overview of methods for derivation of values for risk assessment, individual chapters address each contaminant of concern. See the table of contents and chapter abstracts at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780128000205.
Another DoD-sponsored source of wildlife toxicity assessment information is available at http://usaphcapps.amedd.army.mil/erawg/tox/.

Suthersan, S., E. Killenbeck, S. Potter, C. Divine, and M. LeFrancois.
Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation, Vol 35 No 2, 23-29, 2015

Traditional pump-and-treat (P&T) systems designed using conventional practices will almost always demonstrate significant short-term value in halting plume movement, removing contaminant mass, and reducing risks; however, without adaptive optimization, these systems also tend to have a tailing asymptotic performance that can result in a static "pumping forever" situation. The authors assert that P&T systems can be re-engineered and optimized for enhanced performance, a concept referred to as "enhanced groundwater flushing" and the technology to implement the concept as "directed groundwater recirculation," or DGR. Historically, the presumptive assumption toward large plume remediation is that it cannot be done and the best approach is to control the plume movement; however, the effectiveness of DGR combined with mass flux-based solutions can enable stakeholders to plan for site closure with relatively shorter time frames and reduced costs. http://www.academia.edu/17976580/Resurgence_of_Pump_and_Treat_Solutions_Directed_Groundwater_Recirculation