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The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, was utilized in an in situ study in the Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) located in Buffalo, New York, Mussels, placed both in the water column (upper position) and at the sediment surface (lower position), survived a 34-day exposure to the CDF. At the CDF, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the water column were below detection limits (

This study consisted of a site characterization followed by biomonitoring the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, at the Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility (CDF), located in Buffalo, New York. Concentrations of selected contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals —arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se) and silver (Ag)—were at or below detection limits in the water column. Sediment contaminant concentrations, recorded as dry weight, were as high as 549 mg/kg for total PAHs, 9 mg/kg for PCB Aroclor 1248 and 54, 99, 6, 355, 637 and 16 mg/kg for the metals As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb and Hg, respectively. To predict contaminant bioavailability, elutriate and whole sediment toxicity tests were performed utilizing the cladoceran, Daphnia magna. Whole sediment tests indicated significant impact. Control survival was 84%, while sediment treatment had survival ranging from 1 to 7%. Mean control reproduction was 86.8 neonates, whereas treatment reproduction ranged from 1.4 to 9.0. Zebra mussels placed both in the water column (Upper) and at the sediment level (Lower) survived the 34-day exposure. Contaminants that significantly accumulated in zebra mussel tissue (wet wt mg/kg) were total PAHs (6.58), fluoranthene (1.23), pyrene (1.08), chrysene (0.98), benzo(a)anthracene (0.60), PCB Aroclor 1248 (1.64), As (0.97), Cr (2.87) and Ba (7.00). Accumulation of these contaminants in zebra mussel tissue represent a potentially realistic hazard to organisms (i.e. fish and birds) that feed on them.

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes the contaminant mobility of heavy metals using data collected between 1983 and 1989. The placement of Black Rock Harbor sediment in an upland disposal environment resulted in pronounced changes in some attributes of the contaminated sediment. Following upland disposal, the dredged material dried and oxidized. The pH of the dredged material dropped from 7.6 in 1983 to 3.2 by the end of a joint Corps of Engineers (CE)/Environmental Protection Agency Field Verification Program (FVP) in 1986. This substantial decrease in dredged material pH was presumably a result of the decomposition of organic matter, the oxidation of sulfide, limited pH buffering capacity in Black Rock Harbor sediment, low percent CaCO 3 equivalent, and the acid rainfall of pH 4.0–4.5 at the field site location. The upland animal bioassay predicted that earthworms would not survive in the dredged material under oxidized conditions. Through 1986, earthworms could not survive on the dredged material. Currently, control plots devoid of vegetation contain few animals. In particular, no soft bodied animals were observed or collected from this environment.