Science Inventory

You are here:

EPA Home » Science Inventory » ADVANCES IN SAMPLING, SEPARATION, DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION THAT ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS OF OSWER AND THE REGIONS

ADVANCES IN SAMPLING, SEPARATION, DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION THAT ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS OF OSWER AND THE REGIONS

Contact

http://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_comments.cfm

Impact/Purpose:

Provide state-of-the-science sampling, analysis, separation, and detection methods to allow rapid, accurate field and laboratory analyses of contaminated soils, sediments, biota, and groundwater to support Superfund clean-up decisions. Apply state-of-the-science methods in chemical analysis and data interpretation (e.g., mass spectral interpretation) to actual problems of OSWER, the Regions, and the States, in cooperation with the Las Vegas Technical Support Center as well as by direct contacts with Regional and State employees. Provide technical advice and guidance to OSWER using the environmental chemistry expertise (e.g., mass spectrometry, analytical methods development, clean-up methodology, inorganics, organometallics, volatile organics, non-volatile organics, semi-volatile organics, separation technologies, etc.) found within the branch.

Technical research support for various projects initiated either by Regions/Program Offices or ECB scientists. While these efforts will support the Regions and Program Offices, they cannot be predicted or planned in advance, and may serve multiple duty (e.g., solve real-world problems, serve to ground-truth analytical approaches that ECB is developing, transfer new technology). Many of the activities in this task support requests involving enforcement decisions and therefore are categorized as "environmental forensics".

Description:

The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) has identified the development of improved methods for measuring, monitoring, and characterizing complex wastes in soils, sediments, biota, and groundwater as a priority under GOAL 3: LAND PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION:Preserve and restore the land by using innovative waste management practices and cleaning up contaminated properties to reduce risks posed by releases of harmful substances. Through 2008, provide and apply sound science for protecting and restoring land by conducting leading-edge research and developing a better understanding and characterization of environmental outcomes under Goal 3.; Objective 3.3: Enhance Science and Research. Sub-objective 3.3.2: Conduct Research to Support Land Activities. Pursuant to this priority, OSWER has identified several key measurement/monitoring problems. Among these are improved sampling and analysis methods for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCBs, PAHs, pesticides, organometallics, and non-volatile organics; more rapid screening methods to support cleanups, methods to monitor remediation efforts, and more rigorous determinative methods. This task coordinates intramural research to address these and other problems related to the characterization of contaminants in soils, groundwater, surface waters, sediments and biota.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT
Projected Completion Date:09/01/2010
OMB Category:Other
Record ID: 56156