Grantee Research Project Results
2002 Progress Report: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Quantify and Model the Transport and Deposition of Organic Pollutants in Coastal Environments: Science and Engineering Environmental Research (SEER) Project #1
EPA Grant Number: R829424E02Title: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Quantify and Model the Transport and Deposition of Organic Pollutants in Coastal Environments: Science and Engineering Environmental Research (SEER) Project #1
Investigators: Goni, Miguel , Voulgaris, George
Current Investigators: Goni, Miguel , Ferry, John L. , Voulgaris, George
Institution: University of South Carolina at Columbia
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2003
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002
Project Amount: $198,993
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to examine the dynamics of flow-particles-contaminants, and measure and model the fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) along an impacted estuary in South Carolina (Winyah Bay). One goal of the proposal is to enhance existing faculty capacity of the University of South Carolina through the hire of a tenure-track faculty member with a specialty in modeling contaminant transport. The 2001 South Carolina U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPA/EPSCoR) Program consists of a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) and two Science and Engineering Environmental Research Projects (SEER). The project focuses on pollutant transport in estuaries.
Progress Summary:
During the first year of the project, investigators conducted field measurements designed to quantify the advective fluxes of water, sediment, and particle-associated PAHs along the upper region of Winyah Bay. Concurrent measurements of water mass properties, currents, sediment resuspension, and PAH analyses were performed. Processes of PAH adsorption onto particles and PAH photodegradation were studied. The Department of Geological Sciences hired Dr. Richard Styles, whose research interests include the development and application of a one-dimensional continental shelf bottom boundary layer model to predict current and suspended sediment concentration profiles.
Future Activities:
The first year of investigation provided a first-order perspective on pathways of water and sediment transport in the Winyah Bay study area. As work proceeds investigators will use field study anticipated for February 2003, to learn more about the specific biogeochemical nature of contaminants. This information will provide input to Dr. Styles for development of the most realistic, predictive model for contaminant transport in Winyah Bay. Dr. Voulgaris will focus on a specific, unique aspect of the large, descriptive dataset for water and sediment transport that he has amassed, and he will publish some significant aspect of this project that will demonstrate the benefit of collaboration between an expert in physical aspects of sediment transport (his contribution to the project) and its role in affecting natural organic matter, contaminant dispersal (Dr. Goni's contribution), and biological fate of contaminants (a potential contribution of Dr. Ferry's efforts). Such publication(s) will provide an excellent springboard on which to build partnerships and extend work in Winyah Bay as an estuarine system.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 19 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
estuaries, estuarine circulation, stratification, turbidity maximum, sediment transport, contaminant transport, particulate organic matter, dissolved organic matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, photodegradation, natural organic matter, contaminant modeling., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Geographic Area, Waste, Water, Fate & Transport, State, chemical mixtures, Environmental Chemistry, Contaminated Sediments, Hydrology, Ecology and Ecosystems, contaminant transport, biogeochemical partitioning, bioavailability, resuspension, contaminated sediment, aquatic life, aquatic ecosystem, South Carolina (SC), aquatic biota, sediment transport, fate and transport, coastal, ecological research, ecology assessment models, predictive understanding, transport contaminants, aquatic ecosystems, PAH, organic pollutants, modelingProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.