Contaminated aquatic sediments: Geochemical engineering solutions
- Univ. of Technology Hamburg-Harburg, Hamburg (Germany). Dept. of Environmental Science and Engineering
Risk assessment and management of contaminated sediments requires a holistic approach, i.e., the analytical and experimental parameters should always be related to the potential remediation options for a specific sediment problem. Particular emphasis should be posed on evaluation of redox-sensitive components. Regarding the potential release of metals from sediments changing of pH conditions are of prime importance. To incorporate new experience with non-linear and time-delayed processes, special emphasis should be put on the characteristics of the mineral and organic solid matrices, e.g., to capacity controlling properties, and in particular, the buffer capacity against pH-depression. There is a long retention time for sediments in larger catchment areas. Improvement at the source may need decades to become effective in the sediments at the tower reaches and harbors close to the river mouth. Remediation techniques on contaminated sediments generally are much more limited than for most other solid waste materials, except of mine wastes. The widely diverse contamination sources in larger catchment areas usually produces a mixture of pollutants, which is more difficult to treat than an industrial waste. Only a very small percentage of dredged sediments can undergo treatment in the closer sense -- solvent extraction, bioremediation, thermal desorption, vitrification, etc. Mechanical separation of less strongly contaminated fractions, however, may be an useful step prior to storage of the residues. For most sediments from maintenance dredging, there are more arguments in favor of disposal. Final storage conditions would imply that these materials should be deposited in a favorable geochemical environment. At the actual state of knowledge, this could only mean deposition under permanent anoxic conditions. Such conditions can be made artificially or be selected from natural environments.
- OSTI ID:
- 201192
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9613%%169
- 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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