Grantee Research Project Results

Desorption of Nonpolar Organic Pollutants from Historically Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Materials

EPA Grant Number: R825513C016
Subproject: this is subproject number 016 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R825513
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: HSRC (2001) - South and Southwest HSRC
Center Director: Reible, Danny D.
Title: Desorption of Nonpolar Organic Pollutants from Historically Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Materials
Investigators: Tomson, Mason B. , Kan, Amy T.
Institution: Rice University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: January 1, 1995 through January 1, 1998
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (1989) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Substance Research Centers , Land and Waste Management

Objective:

The objectives of these studies were 1) to develop a semi-empirical equation to correlate the chemical types and irreversible compartment capacity; 2) to test the cause and effect relationship between the release of contaminants from historically contaminated sediments; and to examine the consequences of these results to sediment quality.

Approach:

Irreversible Compartment Capacity
Previous work indicated that the Lula sediment has a limited capacity in the irreversible compartment. Once the capacity of the irreversible compartment is satisfied, the additionally adsorbed compounds will adsorb and desorb reversibly. Cyclic adsorption/desorption studies are conducted to determine if similar phenomena can be demonstrated with different sediments and chemicals and to measure the maximum capacity of the irreversible compartment in several sediments. Two criteria are used to confirm that the irreversible compartment capacity is reached: 1) the additional adsorption will desorb reversibly; and 2) mass left on the solid is quantitatively extracted at the end of the over one hundred experimental steps.

Irreversible Adsorption Isotherm
Based upon experimental results, a conceptual biphasic irreversible adsorption model was proposed. This conceptual model is consistent with many laboratory and field observations, even though different mechanisms have been proposed (Pereira, et al., 1988, McGroddy, et al., 1995, Readman, et al., 1987, Carrol, et al., 1994, and Spencer, et al, 1996). All field observed concentrations are either equal to (within experimental error) or less than the laboratory predicted maximum concentration.

Desorption from Historically Contaminated Sediments
Extensive desorption studies were done with Lake Charles sediment and Utica sediment to test the desorption phenomena of chemicals in aged, and weathered sediments. Desorption was induced by both continuos extraction with a hydrophobic sorbent (Tenax), water and solvent extraction at different temperatures, pH, etc., and the effects of natural mixing. Experiments were also conducted to investigate the effects of chemicals which had been on the solid phase for years to the adsorption and desorption of freshly added chemicals and vice versa.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 32 publications for this subproject | View all 392 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 5 journal articles for this subproject | View all 106 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

adsorption, sediment quality, and risk assessment., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Chemical Engineering, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, Fate & Transport, Analytical Chemistry, Hazardous Waste, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Engineering, Hazardous, environmental technology, sediment treatment, hazardous waste management, hazardous waste treatment, risk assessment, fate and transport, contaminated marine sediment, soil and groundwater remediation, dredged material, biodegradation, contaminated sediment, kinetics, sediment resuspension, chemical contaminants, contaminated soil, marine sediments, remediation, chemical kinetics, hydrology, flume studies, currents, Lake Charles, extraction of metals, technology transfer, heavy metals, aquifer fate and treatment, technical outreach

Progress and Final Reports:

1995

1996

Final Report

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R825513    HSRC (2001) - South and Southwest HSRC

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R825513C001 Sediment Resuspension and Contaminant Transport in an Estuary.
R825513C002 Contaminant Transport Across Cohesive Sediment Interfaces.
R825513C003 Mobilization and Fate of Inorganic Contaminant due to Resuspension of Cohesive Sediment.
R825513C004 Source Identification, Transformation, and Transport Processes of N-, O- and S- Containing Organic Chemicals in Wetland and Upland Sediments.
R825513C005 Mobility and Transport of Radium from Sediment and Waste Pits.
R825513C006 Anaerobic Biodegradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene and Other Nitroaromatic Compounds by Clostridium Acetobutylicum.
R825513C007 Investigation on the Fate and Biotransformation of Hexachlorobutadiene and Chlorobenzenes in a Sediment-Water Estuarine System
R825513C008 An Investigation of Chemical Transport from Contaminated Sediments through Porous Containment Structures
R825513C009 Evaluation of Placement and Effectiveness of Sediment Caps
R825513C010 Coupled Biological and Physicochemical Bed-Sediment Processes
R825513C011 Pollutant Fluxes to Aquatic Systems via Coupled Biological and Physicochemical Bed-Sediment Processes
R825513C012 Controls on Metals Partitioning in Contaminated Sediments
R825513C013 Phytoremediation of TNT Contaminated Soil and Groundwaters
R825513C014 Sediment-Based Remediation of Hazardous Substances at a Contaminated Military Base
R825513C015 Effect of Natural Dynamic Changes on Pollutant-Sediment Interaction
R825513C016 Desorption of Nonpolar Organic Pollutants from Historically Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Materials
R825513C017 Modeling Air Emissions of Organic Compounds from Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Materials title change in last year to "Long-term Release of Pollutants from Contaminated Sediment Dredged Material"
R825513C018 Development of an Integrated Optic Interferometer for In-Situ Monitoring of Volatile Hydrocarbons
R825513C019 Bioremediation of Contaminated Sediments and Dredged Material
R825513C020 Bioremediation of Sediments Contaminated with Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
R825513C021 Role of Particles in Mobilizing Hazardous Chemicals in Urban Runoff
R825513C022 Particle Transport and Deposit Morphology at the Sediment/Water Interface
R825513C023 Uptake of Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Sediments
R825513C024 Bioavailability of Desorption Resistant Hydrocarbons in Sediment-Water Systems.
R825513C025 Interactive Roles of Microbial and Spartina Populations in Mercury Methylation Processes in Bioremediation of Contaminated Sediments in Salt-Marsh Systems
R825513C026 Evaluation of Physical-Chemical Methods for Rapid Assessment of the Bioavailability of Moderately Polar Compounds in Sediments
R825513C027 Freshwater Bioturbators in Riverine Sediments as Enhancers of Contaminant Release
R825513C028 Characterization of Laguna Madre Contaminated Sediments.
R825513C029 The Role of Competitive Adsorption of Suspended Sediments in Determining Partitioning and Colloidal Stability.
R825513C030 Remediation of TNT-Contaminated Soil by Cyanobacterial Mat.
R825513C031 Experimental and Detailed Mathematical Modeling of Diffusion of Contaminants in Fluids
R825513C033 Application of Biotechnology in Bioremediation of Contaminated Sediments
R825513C034 Characterization of PAH's Degrading Bacteria in Coastal Sediments
R825513C035 Dynamic Aspects of Metal Speciation in the Miami River Sediments in Relation to Particle Size Distribution of Chemical Heterogeneity