Developing ecologically based PCB, pesticide, and metal remedial goals for an impacted northeast wooded swamp

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:242415

Rury, P M; Turton, D J ^[1]

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1. Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)

Historically, remedial goals at hazardous waste sites have been developed based on human health risk estimates. As the disciplines of remedial investigation, risk assessment, and remedial design have evolved, there has been a shift toward the development of remedial goals that are protective of both human health and the environment. This has increased the need for sound quantitative ecological risk methodologies from which to derive ecologically protective remedial goals. The foundation of many ecological risk assessment models is the bioconcentration or bioaccumulation factor that estimates the partitioning of the compound of concern between the media (e.g., water, soil, or food) and the organism. Simple dietary food-chain models are then used to estimate the dose and resulting risk to higher trophic levels. For a Superfund site that encompassed a northeastern wooded swamp, a PCB pesticide and metal uptake and toxicity study was conducted on the earthworm commonly known as the red wiggler (Eisenea foetida). The study resulted in site-specific sediment to earthworm bioconcentration factors for PCBs and a range of pesticides and metals. In addition, largemouth bass and yellow perch were collected from an impacted pond to identify PCB and pesticide concentrations in mink (Mustela vison) prey. Utilizing the empirical data and site-specific bioconcentration factors in food-chain models, potential risks to the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) and mink were assessed, and ecologically protective PCB, pesticide, and metal remedial goals for the sediments of the wooded swamp were developed.

• OSTI ID: 242415
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FOOD CHAINS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
REMEDIAL ACTION
SEDIMENTS
SWAMPS
US SUPERFUND