Sediments

Valence state: The combining capacity of an atom or radical determined by the number of electrons that it will lose, add, or share when it reacts with other atoms.

Source: The American Heritage™ Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

free product: A NAPL found in the subsurface in sufficient quantity that it can be partially recovered by pumping or gravity drain.

aerobic: Direct aerobic metabolism involves microbial reactions that require oxygen to go forward. The bacteria uses a carbon substrate as the electron donor and oxygen as the electron acceptor. Degradation of contaminants that are susceptible to aerobic degradation but not anaerobic often ceases in the vicinity of the source zone because of oxygen depletion. This can sometimes be reversed by adding oxygen in the form of air (air sparging, bioventing), ozone, or slow oxygen release compound (e.g., ORC(r)).

Aerobic dechlorination may also occur via cometabolism where the dechlorination is incidental to the metabolic activities of the organisms. In this case, contaminants are degraded by microbial enzymes that are metabolizing other organic substrates. Cometabolic dechlorination does not appear to produce energy for the organism. At pilot- or full-scale treatment, cometabolic and direct dechlorination may be indistinguishable, and both processes may contribute to contaminant removal. For aerobic cometabolism to occur there must be sufficient oxygen and a suitable substrate which allows the microbe to produce the appropriate enzyme. These conditions may be present naturally but often in the presence of a source area oxygen and a substrate such as methane or propane will need to be introduced.

Adapted from US. EPA 2006 Engineering Issue: In Situ and Ex Situ Biodegradation Technologies for Remediation of Contaminated Sites

anaerobic: Direct anaerobic metabolism involves microbial reactions occurring in the absence of oxygen and encompasses many processes, including fermentation, methanogenesis, reductive dechlorination, sulfate-reducing activities, and denitrification. Depending on the contaminant of concern, a subset of these activities may be cultivated. In anaerobic metabolism, nitrate, sulfate, carbon dioxide, oxidized metals, or organic compounds may replace oxygen as the electron acceptor.

Anaerobic dechlorination also may occur via cometabolism where the dechlorination is incidental to the metabolic activities of the organisms. In this case, contaminants are degraded by microbial enzymes that are metabolizing other organic substrates. Cometabolic dechlorination does not appear to produce energy for the organism. At pilot- or full-scale treatment, cometabolic and direct dechlorination may be indistinguishable, and both processes may contribute to contaminant removal.

Quoted from US. EPA 2006 Engineering Issue: In Situ and Ex Situ Biodegradation Technologies for Remediation of Contaminated Sites

architecture: "Architecture" refers to the physical distribution of the contaminant in the subsurface. Residuals that take the form of long thin ganglia or small dispersed globules provide a larger surface area that will dissolve much faster than if the same amount of liquid were concentrated in a competent pool.

Sources: For purposes of this discussion, a DNAPL source zone includes the zone that encompasses the entire subsurface volume in which DNAPL is present either at residual saturation or as "pools" of accumulation above confining units. In addition, the DNAPL source zone includes regions that have come into contact with DNAPL that may be storing contaminant mass as a result of diffusion of DNAPL into the soil or rock matrix.

source zone: For purposes of this discussion, a DNAPL source zone includes the zone that encompasses the entire subsurface volume in which DNAPL is present either at residual saturation or as "pools" of accumulation above confining units. In addition, the DNAPL source zone includes regions that have come into contact with DNAPL that may be storing contaminant mass as a result of diffusion of DNAPL into the soil or rock matrix.

focal ulceration: The process or fact of a localized area being eroded away.

metaplasia of the glandular stomach: A change of cells to a form that does not normally occur in the tissue in which it is found.

hyperplasia of the glandular stomach: A condition in which there is an increase in the number of normal cells in a tissue or organ.

histiocytic: Degenerative.

duodenum: First part of the small intestine.

microcytic: Any abnormally small cell.

squamous cell papillomas: A small solid benign tumor with a clear-cut border that projects above the surrounding tissue.

squamous cell carcinomas: Cancer that begins in squamous cells-thin, flat cells that look under the microscope like fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. Squamous cell carcinomas may arise in any of these tissues.

jejunum: The middle portion of the small intestine, between duodenum and ileum. It represents about 2/5 of the remaining portion of the small intestine below duodenum.

ileum: The distal and narrowest portion of the small intestine.

squamous: Flat cells that look like fish scales.

metaplasia: A condition in which there is a change of one adult cell type to another similar adult cell type.

ossification: The process of creating bone, that is of transforming cartilage (or fibrous tissue) into bone.

clastogenesis: Any process resulting in the breakage of chromosomes.

neoplastic: Abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells.

ulceration: The process or fact of being eroded away.

leucocytosis: An elevation of the total number of white cells in blood.

neutrophils: A type of white blood cell.

chromodulin: A small protein that binds four trivalent chromium ions.

biomagnification: The increased accumulation and concentration of a contaminant at higher levels of the food chain; organisms higher on the food chain will have larger amounts of contaminants than those lower on the food chain, because the contaminants are not eliminated or broken down into other chemicals within the organisms.

exencephaly: Cerebral tissue herniation through a congenital or acquired defect in the skull.

everted viscera: Rotated body organs in the chest cavity.

To Be Considered: Documents, such as federal or state guidances, that are not legally binding but may be relevant to the topic in question.

gaining: A gaining surface water body is one where groundwater flows into it.

losing: A surface water body is losing when there is a permeable sediment bed that is not in contact with the groundwater allowing the surface water to seep through it.

fluvial: Of or pertaining to flow in rivers and streams.

lacustrine: Of or pertaining to a lake as in lacustrine sediments—sediments at the bottom of a lake.

lipid: Any class of fats that are insoluble in water.

lipophilic: Able to dissolve in lipids—in this case fatty tissue.

organelles: A part of a cell such as mitochondrion, vacuole, or chloroplast that plays a specific role in how the cell functions and membranes.

RfD: The RfD is an estimate of a daily exposure of the human population (including sensitive sub-groups) to a substance that is likely to be without "the appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime." An RfD is expressed in units of mg/kg-day.

autonomic: That part of the nervous system that controls non-conscious actions such as heart rate, perspiration and digestion.

ataxia: Lack of muscle coordination.

funnel-and-gate configuration: A system where low-permeability walls (the funnel) placed in the saturated zone direct contaminated ground-water toward a permeable treatment zone (the gate)

References: ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry). 2015. Draft Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls. 574 pp.

EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). 2008. Opinion of the scientific panel on contaminants in the food chain on perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and their salts. EFSA Journal 653:1-131.

Hekster, F.M., R.W.P.M. Laane, and P. de Voogt. 2003. Environmental and toxicity effects of perfluoroalkylated substances. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 179:99-121.

Higgins, C. and R. Luthy. 2006. Sorption of perfluorinated surfactants on sediments. Environmental Science & Technology 40(23):7251-7256.

HSDB (Hazardous Substances Data Bank). 2012 Update. Perfluorooctanoic acid.

Kaiser, M.A., B.S. Larsen, C-P.C. Kao, and R.C. Buck. 2005. Vapor pressures of perfluorooctanoic, -nonanoic, -decanoic, -undecanoic, and -dodecanoic acids. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data 50(6):1841-1843.

Kauck, E.A. and A.R. Diesslin. 1951. Some properties of perfluorocarboxylic acids. Industrial and Engineering Chemical Research 43(10):2332-2334.

Lewis, R.J., Sr., ed. 2004. Sax's Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials. 11th ed. Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, NJ. V3:2860.

Lide, D.R. 2007. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 88th ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 3-412.

SRC (Syracuse Research Corporation). 2016. PHYSPROP Database. SRC Scientific Databases, Accessed May 2016.

UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program). 2015. Proposal to List Pentadecafluorooctanoic Acid (CAS No: 335-67-1, PFOA, Perfluorooctanoic Acid), Its Salts and PFOA-Related Compounds in Annexes A, B and/or C to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. UNEP/POPS/POPRC.11/5.

USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2016. Drinking Water Health Advisory for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA).#pdfsmall# Office of Water, EPA 822-R-16-005, 103 pp

• Overview
• Policy and Guidance
• Conceptual Site Models
• Fate and Transport of Contaminants
• Site Characterization
  • Sampling
  • Analytical Methods
• Risk Assessment
• Remediation
• Additional Resources

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• Issue Areas Home
• Suggest Resource

Usually the first step to characterizing sediment involves reviewing historical data and, if necessary, developing a sampling and analysis plan to determine the nature of the contamination. The objective of this first step, which is often referred to as the preliminary site investigation (PSI), is to determine if chemical contamination of the sediment exists. Much of the analytical testing can be done on site using bioassay, X-Ray florescence, and field gas chromatography.

If the PSI results indicate potentially unacceptable concentrations of contaminants, then a more detailed site investigation (DSI) occurs. The DSI should evaluate the effects of the contaminants on sediment flora and fauna and their potential effects on other wildlife and humans. The five types of ecosystem biological assessments that are commonly conducted at sites with contaminated sediments are toxicity testing, benthic invertebrate community assessments, bioaccumulation testing, fish health, and fish community structure (USEPA 2002). The DSI also should determine the hydrodynamics of the sediment system to support remedial decisions. Evaluation of the contaminant generally addresses the following questions (NAVFAC (2003)):

• What is the total organic content (TOC) and ratio of acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) to simultaneously extractable metals (SEM)?
• What is the flux of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) from the sediment bed into the overlying water column?
• Are surface sediments oxic (oxygen rich) or anoxic (oxygen depleted), and how does the redox potential change with depth?
• Are the concentrations of ammonia and sulfide in porewater and/or overlying water high enough to be confounding factors in toxicity tests?
• What chemical and biological processes might be degrading or transforming COPCs, and are these processes significant?

Sediment system and hydrodynamic evaluations generally address the following questions:

• What is the distribution of sediment grain size (i.e., sediment type) at the site, and what are the associated depositional environments?
• Under what conditions are the surface sediments likely to be eroded and resuspended (i.e., how stable is the sediment bed)?
• If sediments are resuspended, where are they being transported?
• Is natural burial occurring through sediment accumulation, and if so, at what rate?
• How thick is the mixed surface layer of sediment?
• What types of extreme events might occur at this site, and what are the potential effects?

The following factors are generally determined to aid in evaluating remedial technologies:

• Hazardous waste characterization (e.g., Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure [TCLP] analysis) to support the evaluation of treatment and disposal options.
• Dewatering characteristics to identify the most appropriate pretreatment methods.
• Engineering properties (e.g., strength, compressibility) to evaluate capping and reuse options.

Chapter 2 of USEPA (2005) contains a detailed discussion of remedy investigation considerations. The following Table presents an example of data that may need to be collected during a sediment investigation.

Physical	Chemical	Biological
Sediment particle size/distribution and mineralogy in cores In Situ porosity/bulk density Bearing strength Specific gravity Salinity profile of sediment cores Geometry/bathymetry of water body Turbidity Temperature Sediment resuspension and deposition rates Depth of mixing layer/ degree and depth of bioturbation Geophysical survey results Flood frequencies, annual and event driven hydrographs and current velocities Tidal regime Groundwater flow regime and surface water/groundwater interaction Ice cover and breakup patterns Water uses causing physical disturbance of sediment	Near surface contaminant concentration in sediment Contaminant profiles in sediment cores Contaminant concentrations (especially metals) in biota tissue, groundwater, and pore water Total Organic carbon in sediment Dissolved, suspended, and colloidal contaminant concentrations in surface water Simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) and acid volatile sulfide (AVS) in sediment Radiometric dating profiles in sediment cores Non-contaminant chemical species that may affect contaminant mobility Oxidation-reduction profile of sediment cores pH profile in sediment cores Carbon/nitrogen/phosphorus ratio Non-ionized ammonia concentration in sediment	Sediment toxicity< /li> Extent of recreational/ commercial harvestingof fish/shellfish for human consumption Extent of predators dependent on aquatic food chain (e.g., mink, otter, kingfisher, heron) Abundance /diversity of emergent and submerged vegetation Abundance /diversity of bottom-dwelling species and fishes Habitat stressor analyses Contaminant bioavailability Pathological condition, such as presence of tumors in fish Presence of indicator species

(USEPA 2005)

This section on characterization is by no means comprehensive and the references provided below should be consulted for more detailed explanations.

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NAVFAC 2003. Final Implementation Guide for Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediment at Navy Facilities

USEPA 2002. A Guidance Manual to Support the Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Freshwater Ecosystems Volume II � Design and Implementation of Sediment Quality Investigations

Contaminated Sediment Remediation Guidance for Hazardous Waste Sites, USEPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA-540/R-05/012, 236 pp, 2005

General Documents

This section contains documents that broadly address characterization issues. Narrowly focused documents, such as sampling techniques and analytical methods, are identified in separate sections.

Contaminated Sediment Remediation Guidance for Hazardous Waste Sites
USEPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA-540/R-05/012, 236 pp, 2005

Critical Issues for Contaminated Sediment Management
Apitz, Sabine E., et al.
US Navy, Marine Environmental Support Office, MESO-02-TM-01, 88 pp, 2002

This document identifies problems, remediation approaches, technology gaps, and other issues relevant to managing contaminated sediments in an integrated, cost-effective way. It examines the successful aspects of contaminated sediment assessment and management, and the barriers to streamlining contaminated sediment management.

Demonstration and Evaluation of Solid Phase Microextraction for the Assessment of Bioavailability and Contaminant Mobility
Reible, D. and G. Lotufo.
ESTCP Project ER-200624, 140 pp, 2012

Project ER-200624 developed and standardized a procedure using field-deployable SPME for the in situ measurement of freely dissolved porewater concentrations of hydrophobic organics in sediments and also demonstrated the relationship of these measurements to contaminant flux, bioavailability, and bioaccumulation. ESTCP Cost and Performance Report

Demonstration of an In-Situ Friction-Sound Probe for Mapping Particle Size at Contaminated Sediment Sites
Chadwick, D.B. and E. Arias.
ESTCP Project ER-200919, SPAWAR Technical Report 2040, 77 pp, 2014

Knowledge of grain size at sediment study sites can provide lines of evidence that can be applied to identify potential areas of contaminated sediment and contaminant discharge zones. The effectiveness of the sediment friction-sound probe (SED-FSP) technology was evaluated in the field for direct in situ measurement of grain size at (1) a groundwater-surface water interaction site, (2) a contaminated sediment site, and (3) a contaminated sediment, thin-layer containment cap to demonstrate the technology's vertical profiling capabilities. Additional information: ESTCP Cost and Performance Report

The Effect of Activated Carbon on Partitioning, Desorption, and Biouptake of Native Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Four Freshwater Sediments
Sun, X. and U. Ghosh
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Volume 27, Number 11. pp 2287-2295, 2008

Great Lakes Dredged Material Testing & Evaluation Manual
USEPA and USACE

This regional testing manual is for use in evaluating potential impacts of contaminants from dredged material proposed for discharge to the Great Lakes, connecting channels, and tributaries. The manual is intended to be used as a decision-making tool for dredge and fill permits issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers, states, or tribes where delegated, under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

Integration of Multi-Tension Permeametry and Photogrammetric Textural Segmentation for Estimating Directional Permeability
A. Ward, G. Seedahmend, G. Anderson, and F. Zhang.
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) Project ER-1366, 84 pp, 2010

A rapid, robust, and reliable tool for in situ measurement of hydraulic properties in heterogeneous, anisotropic, variably saturated porous media is based on direct-push, in situ sensors deployed individually or as part of an integrated tool. The sensors include 1) a tension (subatmospheric pressure) permeameter for measuring variably relative permeability as a function of saturation, and 2) a microscopic imaging system for in situ imaging of sediments from which grain-size characteristics and independent estimates of hydraulic properties are derived using digital photogrammetry. An existing SCAPS/GeoVIS system was modified to function as a dual field-of-view video camera system for sub-surface soil imaging, one for capturing grain size data in silt and the other in the sand-sized fraction. Digital images of sediments were converted into particle size distributions and their moments using the Pixel-Vernier, a suite of photogrammetric algorithms that combine markers-controlled watershed algorithm with a minimum-distance clustering to solve the segmentation problem. The segmentation algorithm decomposes the image into separate particle regions, which are used to derive several geometric attributes for each particle. These were used to estimate the particle size distribution and their relevant statistics. Particle size distributions were then used with a packing model to estimate porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity.

Laboratory, Field, and Analytical Procedures for Using Passive Sampling in the Evaluation of Contaminated Sediments: User's Manual
Burgess, R.M., S.B.K. Driscoll, G.A. Burton, U. Ghosh, P.M. Gschwend, D. Reible, S. Ahn, and T. Thompson. EPA 600-R-16-357, ESTCP Project ER-201216, 167 pp, 2017

U.S. EPA and SERDP/ESTCP produced this document as a guide for using passive sampling to evaluate contaminated sediments. The guide is intended to cover lab, field, and analytical aspects of passive sampler applications. This resource will aid in developing user-specific lab, field, and analytical procedures and complement existing sediment assessment tools.

Quantifying Seepage Flux using Sediment Temperatures
Lien, B.K. and R.G. Ford.
EPA 600-R-15-454, 50 pp, 2014

This report demonstrates different modeling approaches that use sediment temperatures to estimate the magnitude and direction of water flux across the groundwater-surface water transition zone. Following a review of analytical models based on steady-state or transient temperature solutions, case study applications of these modeling approaches are illustrated for two different field settings. For a quiescent system, application of two different steady-state models to evaluate temperature records from three depths is discussed for estimating groundwater seepage into a pond. For a flowing water system, application of two different transient models is used to estimate water exchange across a granular cap placed atop sediments in a small river.

Rapid Sediment Characterization Tools
V.J. Kirtay.
Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center Technical Report 1970, 45 pp, 2008

This guide provides information with recommendations for rapid sediment characterization technologies that can be used at marine sediment sites, including X-ray fluorescence for metals, immunoassays for PAHs and PCBs, QwikSed bioassay for assessing toxicity, and other more specialized techniques. The report provides examples to illustrate the efficacy of applying rapid sediment characterization tools for RI/FS applications, total maximum daily load studies, and forensic studies.

Standardizing Sediment Porewater Passive Samplers for Inorganic Constituents of Concern
Conder, J., F. Risacher, M. Lawrence, J. Roberts, B. Pautler, A. Sweett, A. Jackson, and G. Rosen.
ESTCP Project ER20-5261, 161 pp, 2023 (Published February 2024)

The overall objective of SERDP Project ER20-5261 is to enhance the standardization of and confidence in using peepers for passive sampling of inorganic constituents such as metals, metalloids, and anions in sediment porewater. This document details the results of a field demonstration in which peepers were deployed in surface sediment and surface water at Naval Base San Diego, San Diego, California. Over 2 days, commercially available peepers were deployed at 10 stations, left to equilibrate for approximately 10 days, and then retrieved over 2 days. They were then processed and shipped to a commercial analytical laboratory. About 90% of peeper samples were successfully analyzed (peepers at 1 station could not be retrieved) for target metal analytes cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, and zinc. Lithium and bromide tracers spiked into the peepers, indicating that >70% equilibration was reached for all target metals during the 10-day exposure. Both tracers performed similarly. In the future, using lithium tracer (rather than bromide) is recommended, as they are most efficient in terms of method simplicity and analytical cost savings. Method detection limits for peepers were sufficiently sensitive to detect concentrations lower than EPA's saltwater Criterion Continuous Concentration (CCC) for aquatic life. All metals except mercury (detection limit of approximately 0.1 to 0.4 µg/L) were detected in at least one peeper sample. Differences in sediment porewater and surface water concentrations were noted for some, but not all, metals. Detailed methods are presented, as well as logistical details and recommendations for planning and executing successful peeper investigations. Fact Sheet

A Guidance Manual to Support the Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Freshwater Ecosystems (USEPA Three Volumes)

Volume I - An Ecosystem-Based Framework for Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediments
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll USEPA, Great Lakes National Program Office, EPA-905-B02-001, 149 pp, 2002

This guidance recommends a five-step process to support the assessment and management of sediment quality conditions relative to sediment-dwelling organisms, aquatic-dependent wildlife, and human health.

Volume II - Design and Implementation of Sediment Quality Investigations
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
USEPA, Great Lakes National Program Office, EPA-905-B02-001 B, 136 pp, 2002

Volume III - Interpretation of the Results of Sediment Quality Investigations
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
USEPA, Great Lakes National Program Office, EPA-905-B02-001 C, 232 pp, 2002

A Guidance Manual to Support the Assessment of Contaminated Sediments in Freshwater, Estuarine, and Marine Ecosystems in British Columbia (Four Volumes)

Volume I - An Ecosystem-Based Framework for Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediments
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection, 150 pp, 2003

Volume II - Design and Implementation of Sediment Quality Investigations in Freshwater Ecosystems
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection, 112 pp, 2003

Volume III - Interpretation of the Results of Sediment Quality Investigations
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection, 233 pp, 2003

Volume IV - Supplemental Guidance on the Design and Implementation of Detailed Site Investigations in Marine and Estuarine Ecosystems
MacDonald, D.D. and C.G. Ingersoll
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection, 86 pp, 2003

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Documents

Case Studies Using Surface Weighted Average Concentration Methods at Sediment Remediation Sites
NAVFAC Technical Report, TR-NAVFAC-EXWC-SH-2315, 41 pp, 2023

Surface-Area Weighted Average Concentrations (SWACs) can be used to estimate mean contaminant concentrations over a specified area using contaminant data collected over different temporal and spatial scales. SWAC methodologies can also be used to define remedial footprints in the Feasibility Study and evaluate remedy effectiveness. This report describes several SWAC methods (arithmetic averages, weighted polygons and averaging over interpolated values), along with their advantages and limitations to assist RPMs in deciding whether to use SWACs for developing remedial footprints and assessing post-remediation achievement of remedial goals.

Guidance for Environmental Background Analysis Volume II: Sediment
NAVFAC, UG-2054-ENV, 243 pp, 2003

This volume focuses on analytical methods and procedures that can be used to identify background chemicals in sediment medium (whether from anthropogenic or natural sources) and estimate the chemical concentration ranges that represent site-specific background conditions.

Guide for Planning and Conducting Sediment Pore Water Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIE) to Determine Causes of Acute Toxicity at Navy Aquatic Sites
NAVFAC, User's Guide UG-2052-ENV, 150 pp, 2003

This guide provides a general but comprehensive approach for planning and conducting TIEs, along with examples to illustrate many of the features of successful TIE studies.

A Handbook for Determining the Sources of PCB Contamination in Sediments
NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center.
TR-NAVFAC EXWC-EV-1302, 164 pp, 2012

This guide to conducting environmental forensic investigations for PCBs at sediment sites covers the following topics: (1) the general forensic approach, including relevant background information; (2) technical methods used in a PCB environmental forensics investigation; and (3) application of the procedures in two demonstration case studies.

Implementation Guide for Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediment at Navy Facilities
NAVFAC, SPAWAR Systems Center, NFESC User's Guide UG-2053-ENV, 153 pp, 2003

This guide identifies and discusses sediment-specific issues related to site characterization, risk assessment, and remedial alternative evaluation, and directs the reader to related Web sites and resources for more detailed technical information. It includes a list of commonly used toxicity tests for sediments.

Integrated Forensics Approach to Fingerprint PCB Sources in Sediments using Rapid Sediment Characterization (RSC) and Advanced Chemical Fingerprinting (ACF)
Leather, J., G. Durell, G. Johnson, and M. Mills.
ESTCP Project ER-200826, SPAWAR Technical Document 3262, 228 pp, 2012

An integrated approach to fingerprinting PCB contamination combines sediment screening technologies on a large number of field samples followed by detailed PCB congener analysis in conjunction with advanced chemical fingerprinting data interpretation on a subset of selected laboratory samples. All the techniques discussed in this report are commercially available from multiple sources. See also the ESTCP Cost and Performance Report ; PAH/PCB Fingerprinting Tool

User's Guide for Assessing Sediment Transport at Navy Facilities
Blake, A.C., D.B. Chadwick, P.J. White, and C.A. Jones.
NAVFAC, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Technical Report 1960, 165 pp, 2007

This document provides Navy remedial project managers and their technical support staff with practical guidance on planning and conducting sediment transport evaluations. It identifies and reviews the methods and tools that can be used to characterize sediment transport, and it includes a framework to clearly identify the types of measurements and data analysis methods that can be used at a contaminated sediment site. It also provides guidance on how to use the results of a well-designed sediment transport evaluation to make management decisions for contaminated sediment sites.

A User's Guide for Determining the Sources of Contaminants in Sediments
Stout, S.A., J.M. Leather, and W.E. Corl III
NAVFAC, SPAWAR Systems Center, Technical Report 1907, 96 pp, 2003

This document provides a step-by-step description of the investigative process of determining contaminant sources for use when considering or designing a study. It also contains a demonstration study aimed at determining the source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the southern branch of the Elizabeth River near the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic/Sediment Transport Model for Stream Networks
Hayter, E.J., J.M. Hamrick, B.R. Bicknell, and M.H. Gray
USEPA, EPA/600/R-01/072, 38 pp, 2001

This document contains a short discussion on the data needed to model sediment transport.

Using the Sediment Quality Triad to Characterize Toxic Conditions in the Chesapeake Bay (2002): An Assessment of Tidal River Segments in the Bohemia, Elk, Northeast, and Severn Rivers
Pinkney, A.E., et al.
USEPA, Chesapeake Bay Program Office, CBFO-C05-01, 234 pp, 2005

An example is provided on the use of the sediment quality triad (sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, and benthic community structure) to evaluate the quality of sediment in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay.

State Documents

Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plan Appendix: Guidance on the Development of Sediment Sampling and Analysis Plans Meeting the Requirements of the Sediment Management Standards (Chapter 173-204 WAC)
Washington Department of Ecology, Toxics Cleanup Program, Ecology Publication No. 03-09-043, 152 pp, 2008

This document provides technical guidance for developing sampling and analysis plans for sediment investigations.

A Standard Operating Procedures Manual for the Louisiana Department of Natural Resource's Coastal Restoration Division: Methods for Data Collection, Quality Assurance / Quality Control, Storage, and Products
Folse, T.M. and J.L. West.
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, 158 pp, 2004.

Bioaccumulation

Analysis of Uncertainty in Estimating Dioxin Bioaccumulation Potential in Sediment-Exposed Benthos
USACE, Engineer Research and Development Center, TN-DOER-R5, 18 pp, 2004

Analysis of Uncertainty in TBP Estimation of PAH Bioaccumulation Potential in Sediments
USACE, Dredging Research Technical Note EEDP-04-32, 14 pp, 1999.

Case Studies

The US Geological Survey has performed many sediment studies in different parts of the country. The Sediment Toxicology section in Other Resources provides a number of links to these studies. The case studies listed below provide examples of how different types of sites are characterized:

Analysis of Organic Contaminants in Dredged Material Using a Field-Portable GC-MS
Bednar, A.J, R.A. Kirgan, J.M. Corbino, and A.L. Russell.
Technical Note ERDC TN-DOER-E26, 9 pp, Sep 2009

This technical note describes the use of a Griffin 400 field-portable gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for the in-field determination of organic contaminants in dredged material at a site on the Mississippi River. The instrument was used for quantitative analysis of organic compounds, including PAHs.

Assessment of Elemental Concentrations in Streams of the New Lead Belt in Southeastern Missouri, 2002-05
Brumbaugh, W.G., T.W. May, J.M. Besser, A.L. Allert, and C.J. Schmitt
USGS, Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5057, 68 pp, 2007

Magnitude and Extent of Contaminated Sediment and Toxicity in Chesapeake Bay
Hartwell, S.I. and J. Hameedi
NOAA, Technical Memorandum NCCOS 47, 241 pp, 2007

Metals Transport in the Sacramento River, California 1996-1997 Volume 1: Methods and Data
Alpers, C.N., H. Taylor, and J. Domagalski (eds.)
USGS, Water Resources Investigation Report 99-4286, 451 pp, 2000

Pathway Ranking for In-Place Sediment Management Executive Summary
DoD, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Report CU1209, 1,053 pp, 2006

The objective of this study was to provide an understanding of the relative importance of critical contaminant transport pathways in the risk, fate, and management of near-shore, in-place contaminated (PAHs and metals) sediments via an: 1) integrated suite of measurement techniques to characterize and quantify important transport pathways for in-place sediments, 2) corresponding set of indices that quantify the transport phenomenon on a common dimensional scale; and 3) field-scale evaluation of the effectiveness of the measurement tools and the importance of quantified transport pathways. This report concerns activities at Paleta Creek, San Diego Bay.

Pathway Ranking for In-Place Sediment Management, Final Site II Report - Pearl Harbor
DoD, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Report CU1209, 857 pp, 2006

The objective of this study was to provide an understanding of the relative importance of critical contaminant transport pathways in the risk, fate, and management of near-shore, in-place contaminated (PAHs and metals) sediments via an: 1) integrated suite of measurement techniques to characterize and quantify important transport pathways for in-place sediments, 2) corresponding set of indices that quantify the transport phenomenon on a common dimensional scale; and 3) field-scale evaluation of the effectiveness of the measurement tools and the importance of quantified transport pathways.

Pathway Ranking for In-Place Sediment Management Volume III: Cross-Site Comparisons
DoD, Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, Report CU1209, 78 pp, 2006

This final volume summarizes and compares the main results of the field efforts at Pearl Harbor and Paleta Creek, and critically analyzes their implications for pathway analysis and ranking as a future tool in contaminated sediment management.

Sedimentation and Occurrence and Trends of Selected Chemical Constituents in Bottom Sediment, Empire Lake, Cherokee County, Kansas, 1905?2005
Juracek, K.E.
USGS, Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5307, 88 pp, 2006

Sheboygan River Food Chain and Sediment Contaminant Assessment
Burzynski, M.
USEPA, Great Lakes National Program Office, 61 pp, 2000

Other Resources

Measurement and Monitoring Technologies for the 21st Century
USEPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation

This searchable database, which contains over 6,900 abstracts and is updated quarterly, incorporates citations and descriptions from literature related to identified OSWER needs areas and includes commercially available monitoring and measurement material, plus government-sponsored small business research projects (SBIR) and other awards. Innovative sampling and analysis techniques for contaminated sediments is an identified OSWER need area. To search the database, use Select a Needs Area to select Sampling and Analytical Technologies for Potentially Contaminated Sediment. Then click on Submit Query. The database also can be searched with keywords.

Validating Pathway Analysis of Organic Contaminants from Aged Dredged Material Using Plants and Worms
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ERDC TN-DOER-R3, 19 pp, 2004

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