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Using bioavailability to assess contaminated sediment risk: Passive sampling and Pore Water Remedial Guidelines (PWRGs)
Citation:
Burkhard, L. Using bioavailability to assess contaminated sediment risk: Passive sampling and Pore Water Remedial Guidelines (PWRGs). NARPM Training Program, Kansas City, ME, December 04 - 08, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
NHEERL just published a guidance document for developing remedial goals using measurement of chemical concentrations in sediment pore water. The guidance, Developing Sediment Remediation Goals at Superfund Sites Based on Pore Water for the Protection of Benthic Organisms from Direct Toxicity to Non-ionic Organic Contaminants - EPA/600/R-15/289, provides the background and supporting information for the methodology as well as the methodology for developing pore water based remedial goals (PWRGs) at Superfund sites. The guidance was requested by EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM) - Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI). The methodology incorporates bioavailability considerations into remedial goal development via passive sampling measurements of chemical concentrations in sediment pore water. The methodology has the potential to allow simpler/less aggressive remedial actions whereby lowing remedial costs and allowing quicker completion of remedial actions. In order to quickly implement the guidance, a course at Superfund’s National Association of Remedial Project Managers (NARPM) Training Program in December is being done. The slides are my portion of the course and is on the remedial goal development.
Description:
Hosted by the Contaminated Sediment Forum, this half-day course will introduce the RPM to the use of passive samplers to assess bioavailability and in ecological risk assessment. Passive sampling devices (PSD) are a technology with growing acceptance for measuring porewater concentrations and assessing bioavailability of contaminants in sediment, particularly for common sediment contaminants such as PCBs, PAHs, chlorinated pesticides and dioxin-like compounds. Instructors will explain the basics of what passive samplers are and how they work, as well as provide an overview of the deployment, analysis and application of PSDs. The course will discuss the development of Porewater Remediation Goals (PWRG) for the protection of the benthic organisms using exposures measured with PSD. This section of the course will focus on the application of PSD data to ecological risk assessment, including the application of Final Chronic Values from Ambient Water Quality Criteria, use of PSD in toxicity and bioaccumulation testing, development of a site specific PWRG, and calculation of a sediment RG based on site-specific equilibrium partitioning. Instructors will also discuss the implementation of PWRGs as it relates to risk assessment and management at Superfund sediment sites. By taking the course, participants will achieve the following objectives: - Understand how PSD measure bioavailability of contaminants in sediment porewater - Be provided with an overview for planning and executing a PSD sampling event - Understand how to apply PSD data to ecological risk assessment - Learn how to develop a site-specific PWRG to protect the benthic organisms - Consider other uses of PSD methods for RI/FS, remedy selection, and remedy implementation at Superfund sediment sites