Grantee Research Project Results
2003 Progress Report: Training and Technology Transfer
EPA Grant Number: R828772C008Subproject: this is subproject number 008 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828772
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: National Research Program on Design-Based/Model-Assisted Survey Methodology for Aquatic Resources
Center Director: Stevens, Don L.
Title: Training and Technology Transfer
Investigators: Williamson, Kenneth J.
Institution: Oregon State University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: September 1, 2001 through August 31, 2006
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management
Objective:
The objectives of this research project are to: (1) promote teamwork and information exchange among researchers through the use of listservs, Web sites, and seminars; (2) promote information transfer with practitioners through the use of Web sites, an electronic newsletter, video workshops, faculty presentations, and publications; (3) test new technologies through laboratory- and pilot-scale testing, demonstrations, and an online project database; and (4) implement full-scale demonstration projects. Western Region Hazardous Substance Research Center (WRHSRC) training focuses on educating graduate students. Sixteen students have been funded through the Center; 2 at the Masters level and 14 at the Ph.D. level (see Table 1). Through Center funding, students are trained to conduct fundamental research and outreach activities in a broad range of disciplines. In 2003, two students (Lisa Gaines and Mike Behm) worked in the outreach area; all others worked on basic research. The students are attending Stanford University (SU), Oregon State University (OSU), and the University of Bologna, Italy.
Student |
Field |
Degree/Institution/Graduation |
Project |
Jian Luo | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./SU/2005 | R828772C001 |
Ioannis Benekos | EnvironmentalEngineering | Ph.D./SU/2005 | R828772C001 |
Seungho Yu | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./OSU/2004 | R828772C002 |
Andy Sabalowosky | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./OSU/2006 | R828772C002 |
David Doughty | Microbiology | M.S./OSU/2004 | R828772C003 |
Kim Lamothe | Molecular and Cellular Biology | Ph.D./OSU/2006 | R828772C003 |
Bhargavi Maremanda | Environmental Engineering | M.S./OSU/2004 | R828772C003 |
Kristin Skinner | Molecular and Cellular Biology | Ph.D./OSU/2006 | R828772C003 |
Cecillia Razzetti | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./University of Bologna, Italy/2005 | R828772C003 |
Naoko Munakata | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./SU/2004 | R828772C004 |
Hefa Cheng | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./SU/2006 | R828772C005 |
Jae-Hyuk Lee | Environmental Engineering | Ph.D./OSU/2005 | R828772C006 |
Peter Ruiz-Haas | Chemistry | Ph.D./OSU/2005 | R828772C007 |
Defne Cakin | Chemistry | Ph.D./OSU/2006 | R828772C007 |
Lisa Gaines | Geosciences | Ph.D./OSU/2004 | Outreach |
Mike Behm | Public Health | Ph.D./OSU/2004 | Outreach |
Progress Summary:
For research advances to be effective, information must be effectively transferred among researchers and between researchers and practitioners. In 2003, technology transfer activities included further development of the WRHSRC Web Site, creation of Research Briefs and WRHSRC News distributed by e-mail, and continuation of several technology demonstration projects.
The Web site provides an overview of the WRHSRC and links to publications and project information. Since its launch in January 2001, usage has increased to about 700 visitors per month. The Web site includes:
• A description of the Hazardous Substance Research Centers (HSRC) Program and WRHSRC goals and management.
• Links and contact information for Center research and outreach staff.
• Descriptions of research focus areas and projects.
• A database of WRHSRC publications and previous projects from 1989-2002. This database has been made available in a searchable format on the Web at http://wrhsrc.oregonstate.edu/publications/index.htm Exit .
• Descriptions of Center outreach programs and links to the separate Web sites of the Western Region Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC)/Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Communities Programs.
• A news and events page with regular postings.
The WRHSRC Web Site features Center publications and a search capability, research briefs, demonstration projects for TOSC and a page that walks clients through the process of obtaining help from TOSC. Interested clients and individuals can subscribe to the new e-mail newsletter (launched in the spring of 2003) for WRHSRC and TOSC (started in the fall of 2002). Three e-mail Research Briefs were distributed on OSU research during 2003.
Brief #1: Field tools to measure redox potential in aquifers (profile of research by Dr. James Ingle, OSU).
Brief #2: Palladium catalysts as a tool to clean up halogenated volatile organic compounds in groundwater (profile of research by Dr. Martin Reinhard, SU).
Brief #3: A field study on cometabolism—a process where microbes do not consume contaminants directly, but instead, live on an alternate food source and fortuitously create conditions that trigger the degradation of the contaminants (profile of research by Drs. Semprini and Dolan of OSU and Dr. Perry McCarty of SU).
Western Regional Lead Training Center, OSU—Hazardous Waste Training
The objective of this subproject is to promote training activities related to lead paint contamination and disposal. The Center can effectively promote training activities desired by other federal agencies within U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions 9 and 10.
Approach. The Western Regional Lead Training Center at OSU (WRLTC-OSU), originally established with U.S. EPA grant funding in 1993, is an accredited nonprofit training provider of lead-based paint (LBP) abatement workshops for U.S. EPA and the State of Oregon certification programs. Additional lead abatement training workshops are provided for U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Energy.
Status. WRLTC-OSU was established by a U.S. EPA training grant in 1992 as an outgrowth of the WRHSRC-OSU. It is the only Oregon-accredited LBP training center, and provides all of the federal LBP curricula. WRLTC-OSU also is accredited in Washington, Alaska, and Idaho, as well as in the Pacific Northwest Indian Tribes. In the past year, workshops have been presented in Washington (Seattle and Auburn), Alaska (Anchorage and Kenai), and Oregon (Portland, Salem, and Corvallis). In 2003, more than 200 students attended 22 workshops and received 242 certificates. Accredited workshops included Lead Inspector, Lead Risk Assessor, Combined Lead Inspector and Risk Assessor Refresher, Lead Abatement Worker, Lead Abatement Supervisor, Combined Lead Abatement Worker and Supervisor Refresher, and Lead Project Designer. Custom workshops in 2003 were Elevated Blood Lead Case Management (Oregon Health Division) and Advanced Lead-Safe Work Practices (City of Corvallis Housing Department). In addition to these training workshops, the Oregon LBP-Program in the Oregon Health Division and U.S. EPA Region 10 recently have funded the statewide lead outreach. This project will present 10 community outreach workshops in rural Oregon, and it will develop new training materials for Oregon LBP Program use in their outreach activities. Because enrollment of the certification classes has diminished under poor economic times and reduced state/federal training funds, the WRLTC-OSU is exploring programs in geographically underserved areas with different sectors of the workforce.
Technology Demonstrations of In Situ Chlorinated Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (CAH) Treatment
Researchers of the WRHSRC have been involved in taking the results of their basic research and applying them in real-world field demonstrations. These demonstrations are an extension of research begun in the original Center and research that is continuing in the current Center. A summary of these demonstrations is provided in Table 2, and represents our faculty's involvement in the technology transfer process. Through our involvement in these demonstrations, we think technology transfer will be accelerated. Technical problems that are encountered in the field demonstrations provide feedback for the research program. Although these studies are funded by other federal agencies and private industry, they are a part of the WRHSRC technology transfer program.
Demonstration |
Investigators |
Sponsor |
In Situ Measurement of Trichloroethylene (TCE) Degradation Using a Single-Well, "Push-Pull" Test at the Homelite Site | Jack Istok Lewis Semprini Jennifer Field |
Textron Corporation, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Superfund |
Field Testing of Palladium (Pd) Catalyzed Hydrogenation for Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Removal: Evaluation of Catalyst Degrading Mechanism) | Martin Reinhard Jeff Cunningham Mark Goltz Walt McNab Carmen LeBron |
U.S. Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center |
Development of Effective Aerobic Cometabolic Systems for the In Situ Transformation of Problematic Chlorinated Solvent Mixtures | Lewis Semprini Mark Dolan Perry McCarty |
Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) |
Push-Pull Tests for Evaluating the In Situ Aerobic Treatment of Chlorinated Mixtures in Groundwater (DoD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program [ESTCP]) | Lewis Semprini Jack Istok |
DoDESTCP Program |
Push-Pull Tests To Demonstrate Enhanced Anaerobic Transformation of TCE
OSU Professors Jack Istok, Lewis Semprini, and Jennifer Field are performing a series of push-pull tests to evaluate the potential for enhanced anaerobic transformation of TCE at the Homelite Site in Greer, NC. This subproject is being supported through a contract from the Textron Corporation, with additional support through an NIEHS Superfund grant. The Homelite site is interesting, because both TCE and hexavalent chromium exist in several wells at the site. The researchers performed single-well push-pull tests using methods developed through previous Center research. Lactate and fumarate were added as substrates to different wells at the test site. Upon biostimulation, push-pull activity tests were performed to study fermentation and dehalogenation reactions. Trichlorofluoroethene (TCFE) was added as a surrogate compound for TCE. Transformation products of TCFE were determined in samples obtained during the pull phase of the tests. The tests showed that despite repeated additions of the electron donors, enhanced anaerobic dechlorination past cis-dichloroethylene (DCE) could not be achieved.
At another industrial site, the researchers are using push-pull tests to evaluate in situ treatment performance of a series of barrier bioreactors. In situ reactors were operated by biostimulating with different substrates, including lactate and hydrogen, as well as a reactor with an iron barrier. TCFE was added to these reactors and was transformed to fluoroethene at several locations monitored, indicating the potential for complete transformation to ethene. These tests are designed to obtain information on the system performance and were funded through an NIEHS Superfund grant.
Field Testing of Pd-Catalyzed Hydrogenation for Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Removal: Evaluation of Catalyst-Degrading Mechanism
Stanford professor Martin Reinhard and OSU professor John Westall are leading a research team investigating the use of Pd catalysts to remediate waters contaminated by chlorinated organics. In conjunction with the WRHSRC project, Dr. Reinhard is conducting a pilot-scale field study at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in southeastern California, in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and EAFB. The field site combines Pd catalysis with the dual horizontal-flow treatment well (HFTW) technology. For the Pd/HFTW system, two wells are installed in an aquifer, and each is screened over two intervals, an upper interval and a lower interval. In each well, a Pd reactor is placed between the upper and lower screens so that the contaminated water passes through the reactor as it travels between the screened sections in the well. One well pumps in an upflow mode, extracting water through the lower screen and injecting it through the upper screen. The other well pumps in a downflow mode, extracting water through the upper screen and injecting it through the lower screen. This setup results in two horizontal flow paths between the wells: one on the upper level, from the upflow well to the downflow well; and one on the lower level, from the downflow well to the upflow well. These flow paths create a zone of recirculation between the two wells, which provides the opportunity for multiple treatment passes, thereby enhancing contaminant removal. The combined Pd/HFTW system is scheduled to go online in late 2002, with a throughput of 1-3 gpm (3.8-11.4 L/min) of water contaminated with 0.5-1.5 mg/L of TCE. The concurrent laboratory and field projects will facilitate more rapid transfer of information from the laboratory to the field, and from academia to potential end users. In addition, the joint studies will verify the applicability of laboratory results to the field scale. Finally, the field project will develop cost and performance data at the pilot scale. Thus far, the laboratory studies have provided reaction kinetics data for field reactor design and have indicated that catalyst activity may be successfully maintained in the field through periodic regeneration with sodium hypochlorite.
Bioaugmentation of a Butane Culture for the Aerobic Cometabolisms of CAH Mixtures
OSU and SU researchers also are exploring the bioaugmentation of microorganisms that have good potential for the aerobic cometabolism of troublesome chlorinated solvents. Professors Lewis Semprini, Mark Dolan, and Perry McCarty are exploring bacteria that use n-alkanes, such as butane and propane, for energy and growth that cometabolize CAHs. This study is funded by the SERDP Program. Pure cultures of microorganisms grown on butane have been isolated that effectively transform 1,1-DCE, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. In situ bioaugmentation studies currently are being performed at the Stanford Field Demonstration Pilot Plant at Moffett Federal Air Field, CA, to determine whether effective aerobic cometabolism might be achieved. The Rhodocococcus culture, being studied in the R828772C003 project has been bioaugmented into a test leg and biostimulated through butane and oxygen addition. An indigenous experimental leg also is being biostimulated, permitting a comparison of treatment achieved by the bioaugmented leg. The field tests have shown effective transformation of three contaminants in the bioaugmented test zone, compared to the indigenous leg, consistent with the results of laboratory tests. Molecular polymerase chain reaction methods have been successfully used to show the presence of the bioaugmented microorganism in the test zone.
Development of Push-Pull Single-Well Tests To Evaluate the Aerobic Cometabolism of CAHs
In a project supported by the ESTCP, researchers at OSU are developing protocols for using single-well push-pull tests to evaluate the potential for aerobic cometabolism of CAHs. Professors Jack Istok and Lewis Semprini are developing the single-well push-pull for stimulating indigenous microorganisms in situ through the addition of cometabolic substrates. Included in the protocol are methods for performing the tests, which include transport, biostimulation, activity, and inhibition tests. The ability of the stimulated population to cometabolically transform CAHs is being evaluated through a series of in situ activity tests. Tests during the past year were conducted at Ft. Lewis, WA, using toluene as a cometabolic substrate. The tests demonstrated that toluene utilizers that express an orthomonooxygenase enzyme could be stimulated in situ. Transformation tests showed that isobutene, a surrogate compound, could be transformed to isobutene oxide, which also indicated that microorganisms expressing a toluene monooxygenase were stimulated.
Future Activities:
We will continue to: (1) promote teamwork and information exchange among researchers through the use of listservs, Web sites, and seminars; (2) promote information transfer with practitioners through the use of Web sites, an electronic newsletter, video workshops, faculty presentations, and publications; (3) test new technologies through laboratory- and pilot-scale testing, demonstrations, and an online project database; and (4) implement full-scale demonstration projects.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 8 publications for this subprojectSupplemental Keywords:
technology transfer, remediation, bioremediation, innovative technologies, groundwater remediation, hazardous, hazardous waste, health risk assessment, physical processes, risk assessments, EPA Region 10, EPA Region 9, aquifer remediation, community support, contaminant dynamics, contaminant transport, contaminated aquifers, contaminated groundwater, environmental risks, exposure, groundwater, groundwater contamination, hazardous substance contamination, human exposure, human health risk, innovative technologies, outreach material, remediation technologies, risk communication workshops, technical outreach, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon, CAH, trichlorofluoroethene, TCFE, trichloroethylene, TCE, dichloroethylene, DCE., RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Geographic Area, Waste, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, Hazardous Waste, Physical Processes, Ecology and Ecosystems, Groundwater remediation, Hazardous, Environmental Engineering, EPA Region, Region 9, outreach material, contaminant transport, contaminant dynamics, environmental risks, remediation technologies, risk communication workshops, exposure, human exposure, contaminated groundwater, groundwater contamination, Region 10, technology transfer, contaminated aquifers, innovative technologies, human health risk, technical outreach, aquifer remediation, bioremediation, groundwater, community supportRelevant Websites:
http://wrhsrc.oregonstate.edu/briefs/index.htm Exit
http://wrhsrc.oregonstate.edu/ Exit
http://wrhsrc.oregonstate.edu/publications/index.htm Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R828772 National Research Program on Design-Based/Model-Assisted Survey Methodology for Aquatic Resources Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828772C001 Developing and Optimizing Biotransformation Kinetics for the Bio- remediation of Trichloroethylene at NAPL Source Zone Concentrations
R828772C002 Strategies for Cost-Effective In-situ Mixing of Contaminants
and Additives in Bioremediation
R828772C003 Aerobic Cometabolism of Chlorinated Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Compounds with Butane-Grown Microorganisms
R828772C004 Chemical, Physical, and Biological Processes at the Surface of Palladium Catalysts Under Groundwater Treatment Conditions
R828772C006 Development of the Push-Pull Test to Monitor Bioaugmentation
with Dehalogenating Cultures
R828772C007 Development and Evaluation of Field Sensors for Monitoring
Bioaugmentation with Anaerobic Dehalogenating Cultures for In-Situ Treatment of
TCE
R828772C008 Training and Technology Transfer
R828772C009 Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC) and Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Programs
R828772C010 Aerobic Cometabolism of Chlorinated Ethenes by Microorganisms that Grow on Organic Acids and Alcohols
R828772C011 Development and Evaluation of Field Sensors for Monitoring Anaerobic Dehalogenation after Bioaugmentation for In Situ Treatment of PCE and TCE
R828772C012 Continuous-Flow Column Studies of Reductive Dehalogenation with Two Different Enriched Cultures: Kinetics, Inhibition, and Monitoring of Microbial Activity
R828772C013 Novel Methods for Laboratory Measurement of Transverse Dispersion in Porous Media
R828772C014 The Role of Micropore Structure in Contaminant Sorption and Desorption
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
Main Center: R828772
168 publications for this center
69 journal articles for this center