Investigations into methods of removing from marine sediments that toxicity attributable to organic contaminants
- Midwest Science Center, Columbia, MO (United States)
- Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (United States). Environmental Research Lab.
Sediments from contaminated estuaries such as New York/New Jersey Harbor are toxic due to the presence of a diversity of contaminants, e.g., heavy metals, ammonia, and organics such as PCBs, PAHs, PCDDs and PCDFs. To facilitate Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) studies of whole sediments, the authors have developed a strategy for selectively reducing or removing organic contaminant residues with minimal disruption of the dynamics of other classes of contaminants that contribute to whole sediment toxicity. The strategy consists of an optional prewash of the sediment slurry with a nonpolar volatile solvent to remove globular and crystalline contaminant phases, turbation of sediment slurry (elevated temperature may be required) in the presence of polyethylene strips (PE) or charcoal-impregnated PE strips and triolein-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs), and finally addition of small amounts of fine-grained activated carbon (shown to be nontoxic) to the test sediment. Replicate (n = 2) samples of a marine sediment spiked and aged with 500 {micro}g/g dieldrin were successfully detoxified using these procedures, as 48 h bioassays (Mysidopsis bahia and Ampelisca abdita) showed no toxicity, while untreated sediment and SPMD dialysates were toxic. Gas chromatographic analysis of the treated sediment samples showed that 97 and > 99 percent of the dieldrin had been removed. Detoxification of other sediments with naturally incurred high-K{sub oc} organic pollutants may be more problematic.
- OSTI ID:
- 372547
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9641%%624
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
NEW YORK
ESTUARIES
NEW JERSEY
REMEDIAL ACTION
METALS
REMOVAL
TOXICITY
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DIOXIN
FURANS
AMMONIA
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
CRUSTACEANS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
HARBORS
SEDIMENTS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
SITE CHARACTERIZATION