Impact/Purpose:

The purpose of this research is to provide decision makers at contaminated sediment Superfund sites with a tool to use for purposes of evaluating recovery of benthic communities that may be impacted by remedial activities. The research is guided by the Office of Research and Developments (ORDs) multi-year plan for contaminated sites research. One of four long term goals of this plan is focused on improving the scientific basis for remedy selection and management at contaminated sediments Superfund sites. The science activity described here constitutes a portion of the ORD program designed to resolve the critical ecological effects science issues necessary for ORD to achieve its contaminated sediments long term goal (By 2008, improve the range and scientific foundation for contaminated sediment remedy selection options, by improving risk characterization, site characterization and increasing understanding of different remedial options).

Description:

At contaminated sediment sites, the Superfund program usually must decide whether to leave the site alone, cap it, or dredge it. This decision is based in part upon the relative risk to the environment and human health posed by each alternative. Whatever decision is made at a site, the Superfund program must have an understanding of the potential risks to the ecosystem posed by the remedial action itself. Consequently, Superfund needs cost-effective, rapid methods to assess and/or predict spatial and temporal effects after remedial actions, as well as methods to document the short-term effects of various remedial options. Current approaches to obtaining the necessary information are time consuming and expensive. This science activity describes research performed by ORD's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL). Three tasks are being performed, all of which are focused on the evaluation and use of the Sediment Profile Image (SPI) camera. First, SPI sampling will be conducted concurrently with benthic sampling already planned at the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site, for purposes of making a direct comparison between SPI and traditional methods. Second, SPI technology will be used to document how fast an area is re-colonized after dredging. Finally, factors affecting SPI metrics will be explored to provide a context for interpreting site-specific results (e.g. dissolved oxygen, contaminants, salinity, temperature, etc.). Contaminated sediment sites are often contentious, in part because dredging, the treatment most often chosen, is costly and in part because the responsible parties have expressed concern that the dredging itself may lead to problems (e.g. prolonged disruption of local benthic communities). Results of this science activity will help address concerns about benthic recovery and should lead to less contentious decisions at contaminated sediment Superfund sites.

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