Grantee Research Project Results

Mobilization and Fate of Inorganic Contaminant due to Resuspension of Cohesive Sediment.

EPA Grant Number: R825513C003
Subproject: this is subproject number 003 , 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: The Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology: Multiscale Measurements and Modeling of Mixtures
Center Director: Tolbert, Paige
Title: Mobilization and Fate of Inorganic Contaminant due to Resuspension of Cohesive Sediment.
Investigators: Amirtharajah, A. , Tiller, C. L. , Sturm, T. W.
Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology
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:

This research was done to improve current methodology for prediction of contaminant movement as a result of episodic storm events in order to better assess risks to aquatic life and human exposure and to recommend appropriate remedial action. The following specific objectives were proposed:

1) Generalize cohesive-sediment erosion relationship developed in earlier funded research in both flume and column studies using contaminated field sediments from the S&SW Region.

2) Evaluate the release of contaminants associated with sediments due to changes in water chemistry under simulated dredging operations.

3) Evaluate the mobilization of heavy-metal contaminants associated with resuspended sediments and the potential for enhanced release of the heavy metals into the aqueous phase.

4) Incorporate the erosion relationship and the contaminant mobilization/release information into a numerical model of transport of sediments contaminated by heavy metals and the release of these metals into solution.

5) Assess the contribution of storm-related episodic events on sediment transport and heavy metal mobilization in the field.

6) Apply numerical algorithms of sediment resuspension and contaminant mobilization in a field study and compare numerical results with field data.

Approach:

The contaminant studies can be divided into 3 different subtasks; 1) batch studies, 2) column and flume studies, and 3) field studies. The subtasks are described below.

Batch Studies
The immobilization and release of copper, cadmium, and barium were studied in batch reactor systems.

Column and Flume Studies
Column studies with contaminated clays were conducted to determine the release of contaminants under fluidized conditions. Sediments from a field site (Etowah River sediments) were used for experiments with downflow filtration attachment on glass beads followed by detachment at varying upflow conditions under fixed and fluidized beds.

Field Studies
Field studies were done to test the sediment resuspension and barium mobilization models developed in the batch and flume studies.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 12 publications for this subproject | View all 392 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 3 journal articles for this subproject | View all 106 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

interparticle forces, dredging, and storm events., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Chemical Engineering, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Fate & Transport, 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, biodegradation, contaminated sediment, kinetics, sediment resuspension, chemical contaminants, contaminated soil, bioremediation of soils, marine sediments, remediation, chemical kinetics, hydrology, biotransformation, flume studies, currents, anaerobic biotransformation, extraction of metals, technology transfer, heavy metals, bioremediation, aquifer fate and treatment, technical outreach

Progress and Final Reports:

1995

1996

Final Report

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R825513    The Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology: Multiscale Measurements and Modeling of Mixtures

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