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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.

This report documents Phases I and II to evaluate the testing and analysis of upland disposal of dredged material from the Appomattox River, Petersburg, VA. Phase I of this study evaluated the environmental and engineering effect of dredging and placing the Appomattox River sediment in the proposed Puddledock site. Phase II of this study evaluated screening of potential contaminate release to atmosphere and evaluated environmental dredging case studies conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Phase I testing included physical and chemical characterization of the sediment to support design/management operations decision making and contaminant pathway analysis. Additional analyses using characterization data were performed to predict the behavior of the contaminants in various pathways. Phase 11 testing included tests that predict the potential emission release of volatiles during and after dredging. Physical characterization included a number of geotechnical tests including grain-size analyses, Atterberg limits, soil classification, specific gravity, moisture content, self-weight and standard odometer consolidation, and sedimentation testing. Chemical characterization included bulk sediment chemical analysis, toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP), and ambient water chemical analysis.

Publisher Summary The evaluation of the nature and extent of heavy metal contamination in the environment and the need for remediation has become one of the most perplexing environmental challenges for mankind in recent years. This chapter describes a case study in which bioassays were used in conjunction with soil data to determine the areas of contamination and the need for remediation. A Remedial Investigation was undertaken by the U.S. Department of the Navy at the Naval Weapons Station, Concord, California, under the Navy Installation Restoration (IR) Program to meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). Contamination resulted from the uncontrolled discharges of industrial waste into environments adjacent to chemical manufacturing plants. Chemical contamination was thought to have migrated from the sources either down a creek into wetlands or down drainage ditches in the wetlands into tidal creeks that ultimately emptied into Suisun Bay. The extent of the migration was not known in 1984, when this investigation was initiated. Soil samples had shown elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, and selenium in certain locations in the field.

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.