Ranking tributaries for setting remediation priorities in a TMDL context

The San Joaquin River (SJR) in the Central Valley of California has been designated an impaired waterbody based on its loss of fisheries-related beneficial uses and the river is now subject to regulation under total maximum daily load (TMDL) rules. For impaired waterbodies, numeric standards alone may not be sufficient to establish remediation priorities and priorities must be established by comparing drainages to each other. Data collected as part of regional water quality (WQ) studies in the SJR Valley were not normally distributed, so nonparametric methods based on ranking were used to compare the WQ of individual tributaries and drainages. Normalized rank means (NRMs) were calculated from ranked data and NRMs were mapped to identify priority drainages for WQ improvement activities. NRMs for individual parameters were combined into indexes that are useful for examining the relative importance of different drainages for multiple parameters simultaneously. Indexes were developed for eutrophication and overall WQ. This ranking approach is being proposed as an easily understood, transparent, and scientifically rigorous method to assess the relative WQ impact of individual drainages and set watershed remediation priorities.     

Innovative technologies for contaminated site remediation: focus on bioremediation.

Bioremediation, the process by which hazardous substances are degraded by microorganisms, is at the forefront of a larger group of innovative remediation technologies being applied at hazardous waste sites worldwide. Although the process of bioremediation has been utilized for decades in the field of wastewater engineering, its application to soils and groundwater at hazardous waste sites is fairly new and still undergoing intensive development. This article is intended to provide both an overview of the state of practice of bioremediation in hazardous waste remediation operations, and an inventory of issues to consider when evaluating the use of this technology for a contaminated site. These topics will be the subject matter of a unique Bioremediation Satellite seminar to be broadcast on January 9, 1992. The seminar, a joint venture between the Air and Waste Management Association (A&WMA) and the Hazardous Waste Action Coalition (HWAC), is the first in a series of satellite seminars that will deal with innovative hazardous waste remediation technologies. The intent of these seminars is to design programs which will make hazardous waste practitioners more familiar with innovative remediation technologies so that they will consider using the technologies in future clean-up operations.     

Integrating information for better environmental decisions

As more is learned about the complex nature and extent of environmental impacts from progressive human disturbance, scientists, policy analysts, decision makers, educators, and communicators are increasingly joining forces to develop strategies for preserving and protecting the environment. The Eco-Informa Foundation is an educational scientific organization dedicated to promoting the collaborative development and sharing of scientific information. The Foundation participated in a recent international conference on environmental informatics through a special symposium on integrating information for better environmental decisions. Presentations focused on four general themes: (1) remote sensing and data interpretation, including through new knowledge management tools; (2) risk assessment and communication, including for radioactively contaminated facilities, introduced biological hazards, and food safety; (3) community involvement in cleanup projects; and (4) environmental education. The general context for related issues, methods and applications, and results and recommendations from those discussions are highlighted here.     

Partition and tempospatial variation of gaseous and particulate mercury at a unique mercury-contaminated remediation site

This study investigated the seasonal variation and spatial distribution of gaseous and particulate mercury at a unique mercury-contaminated remediation site located at the near-coastal region of Tainan City, Taiwan. Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate mercury (PTM), and dustfall mercury (DFM) were measured at six nearby sites from November 2009 to September 2010. A newly issued Method for Sampling and Analyzing Mercury in Air (National Institute of Environmental Analysis [NIEA] Method A304.10C) translated from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 10-5, was applied for the measurement of atmospheric mercury in this particular study. One-year field measurements showed that the seasonal averaged concentrations of GEM and PTM were in the range of 5.56-12.60 and 0.06-0.22 ng/m3, respectively, whereas the seasonal averaged deposition fluxes of DFM were in the range of 27.0-56.8 g/km2-month. The maximum concentrations of GEM and PTM were 38.95 and 0.58 ng/m3, respectively. The atmospheric mercury apportioned as 97.42-99.87% GEM and 0.13-2.58% PTM. As a whole, the concentrations of mercury species were higher in the springtime and summertime than those in the wintertime and fall. The southern winds generally brought higher mercury concentrations, whereas the northern winds brought relatively lower mercury concentrations, to the nearby fishing villages. This study revealed that the mercury-contaminated remediation site, an abandoned chlor-alkali manufacturing plant, was the major mercury emission source that caused severe atmospheric mercury contamination over the investigation region. The hot spot of mercury emissions was allocated at the southern tip of the abandoned chlor-alkali manufacturing plant. On-site continuous monitoring of GEM at the mercury-contaminated remediation site observed that GEM concentrations during the open excavation period were 2-3 times higher than those during the nonexcavation period.     

基于REC模型的污染场地修复决策支持系统的研究

REC模型在污染场地修复决策支持系统中应用广泛且较为成熟.该模型从风险降低(Risk reduction)、环境效益(Environmental merit)和修复费用(Cost)3个方面分析备选修复技术的综合效益,可以更客观地评估备选修复技术的优劣.阐述了污染场地修复决策支持系统的原理,详细介绍了REC模型评估方法,...     

原位电热脱附技术在某有机污染场地修复中的应用效果

以某退役化学试剂厂土壤及地下水中氯乙烯、顺-1,2-二氯乙烯、苯、氯苯为目标污染物,基于电热脱附技术开展了中试规模的修复研究。结果表明：经电热脱附处理后,土壤中氯乙烯、氯苯的平均去除率分别达到100%、99%,均低于北京市《场地土壤环境风险评价筛选值》中污染场地(住宅用地)中土壤筛选值;地下水中氯乙烯、顺-1,2-二氯乙烯、苯、氯苯的平均去除率分别为90.5%、93.5%、96.4%、99.3%。此外,加热井设计间距对土壤温度变化有明显影响,间距为3.0 m的加热井布设方案下的升温时间短且升温效果好,优于间距为4.0 m的加热井布设方案,但两者均可达到去除污染物的目标;加热边界有效热传递范围可达2.0 m;止水帷幕与加热边界的最佳间距至少为3.0 m;目标温度越高,热脱附时间越长,热脱附效率则越高。同时,还讨论了土壤含水率及渗透性等因素对脱附效果的影响。电热脱附技术对修复氯代烃类有机物污染场地具有良好的效果,可进行大规模的工程应用。     

Environmental assessment on electrokinetic remediation of multimetal-contaminated site: a case study

In this study, an environmental assessment on an electrokinetic (EK) system for the remediation of a multimetal-contaminated real site was conducted using a green and sustainable remediation (GSR) tool. The entire EK process was classified into major four phases consisting of remedial investigations (RIs), remedial action construction (RAC), remedial action operation (RAO), and long-term monitoring (LTM) for environmental assessment. The environmental footprints, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, total energy used, air emissions of criteria pollutants, such as NO_x, SO_x, and PM₁₀, and water consumption, were calculated, and the relative contribution in each phase was analyzed in the environmental assessment. In the RAC phase, the relative contribution of the GHG emissions, total energy used, and PM₁₀ emissions were 77.3, 67.6, and 70.4 %, respectively, which were higher than those of the other phases because the material consumption and equipment used for system construction were high. In the RAO phase, the relative contributions of water consumption and NO_x and SO_x emissions were 94.7, 85.2, and 91.0 %, respectively, which were higher than those of the other phases, because the water and electricity consumption required for system operation was high. In the RIs and LTM phases, the environmental footprints were negligible because the material and energy consumption was less. In conclusion, the consumable materials and electrical energy consumption might be very important for GSR in the EK remediation process, because the production of consumable materials and electrical energy consumption highly affects the GHG emissions, total energy used, and air emissions such as NO_x and SO_x.     

原位热处理技术修复重质非水相液体污染场地研究进展

重质非水相液体(DNAPLs)是土壤及地下水中广泛存在的有机污染物,原位热处理技术是目前修复受DNAPLs污染土壤及地下水的最具潜力的技术之一。综述了国内外常用原位热处理技术的基本原理及其影响因素,介绍了相关现场应用实例,并展望了该技术未来的应用前景和发展趋势,以期为中国污染土壤及地下水的原位修复提供有益借鉴。     

Inorganic PM2.5 at a U.S. agricultural site

In this study, we present approximately two years (January 1999-December 2000) of atmospheric NH3, NH4+, HCl, Cl-, HNO3, NO3-, SO2, and SO4= concentrations measured by the annular denuder/filter pack method at an agricultural site in eastern North Carolina. This site is influenced by high NH3 emissions from animal production and fertilizer use in the surrounding area and neighboring counties. The two-year mean NH3 concentration is 5.6 (+/-5.13) microg m(-3). The mean concentration of total inorganic PM2.5, which includes SO4=, NO3-, NH4+, and Cl-, is 8.0 (+/-5.84) microg m(-3). SO4=, NO3-, NH4+, and Cl- represent, respectively, 53, 24, 22, and 1% of measured inorganic PM2.5. NH3 contributes 72% of total NH3 + NH4+, on an average. Equilibrium modeling of the gas+aerosol NH3/H2SO4/HNO3 system shows that inorganic PM2.5 is more sensitive to reductions in gas + aerosol concentrations of sulfate and nitrate relative to NH3.     

铬污染场地渣土混合物的化学还原修复

针对目前铬污染场地表层重污染铬渣混土难处理的问题,选用河南义马某铬盐厂铬渣堆场表层渣土混合物为研究对象,在分析其理化特性的基础上,研究CaS4、FeSO4·7H2O和葡萄糖3种还原药剂对Cr(VI) 的还原效率,通过改变药剂投加量、反应体系pH、反应时间等条件,优化修复工艺参数。结果表明,3种还原药剂对渣土混合物的最佳还原效率大小为CaS4(98.50%)>FeSO4·7H2O(72.21%)>葡萄糖(51.45%)。CaS4还原修复渣土混合物的最优工艺参数为：药剂投加量为还原反应理论当量的2倍,体系pH在3～9,反应时间0.5 h。     

Use of a reactive transport model to describe reductive dechlorination (RD) as a remediation design tool: application at a CAH-contaminated site

In this paper, a numerical model is presented that is capable of describing the complex set of biochemical processes that occur in chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CAH)-contaminated groundwater when an exogenous electron donor is added. The reactive pattern is based on the degradation pathways of both chlorinated ethanes and ethenes, and it includes electron donor production (H₂ and acetate) from the fermentation of an organic substrate as well as rate-limiting processes related to electron acceptor competition. Coupling of the kinetic model to a convection–dispersion module is described. The calibration phase was carried out using data obtained at a real CAH-contaminated site in the north of Italy. Model simulations of different application scenarios are presented to draw general conclusions on the effectiveness of reductive dechlorination (RD) as a possible cleanup strategy. Early outcomes indicate that cleanup targets can only be achieved if source longevity is reduced. Therefore, metabolic RD is expected to produce beneficial effects because it is known to induce bioenhanced degradation and transformation of CAHs.     

A coupled simulation-optimization approach for groundwater remediation design under uncertainty: An application to a petroleum-contaminated site

This study provides a coupled simulation–optimization approach for optimal design of petroleum-contaminated groundwater remediation under uncertainty. Compared to the previous approaches, it has the advantages of: (1) addressing the stochasticity of the modeling parameters in simulating the flow and transport of NAPLs in groundwater, (2) providing a direct and response-rapid bridge between remediation strategies (pumping rates) and remediation performance (contaminant concentrations) through the created proxy models, (3) alleviating the computational cost in searching for optimal solutions, and (4) giving confidence levels for the obtained optimal remediation strategies. The approach is applied to a practical site in Canada for demonstrating its performance. The results show that mitigating the effects of uncertainty on optimal remediation strategies (through enhancing the confidence level) would lead to the rise of remediation cost due to the increase in the total pumping rate.     

Using stochastic risk assessment in setting information priorities for managing dioxin impact from a municipal waste incinerator

The objectives of this study were to assess site-specific carcinogenic risk of incinerator-emitted dioxins in a manner reflecting pollutant transfer across multimedia and multi-pathways. The study used site-specific environmental and exposure information and combined the Monte Carlo method with multimedia modeling to produce probability distributions of risk estimates. The risk estimates were further categorized by contaminated environmental media and exposure pathways that are experienced by human receptors in order to pinpoint significant sources of risk. Rank correlation coefficients were also calculated along with the Monte Carlo sampling to identify key factors that influenced estimation of risk. The results showed that ingestion accounted for more than 90% of the total risk and that risk control on ingestion of eggs, aboveground vegetables, and poultry should receive priority. It was also found that variation of parameters with variability accounted for around 35% of the total risk variance, while uncertainty contributed to the remaining 65%. Intake rates of aboveground vegetables, eggs, and poultry were the key parameters with the largest contribution to variance. In addition, sufficient sampling and analysis of dioxin contents in eggs, aboveground vegetables, poultry, soil, and fruit should be performed to improve risk estimation because the variation in concentrations in these media accounted for the largest overall risk variance. Finally, focus should be placed on reduction of uncertainty associated with the risk estimation through ingestion of aboveground vegetables, eggs, poultry, fruit, and soil because the risk estimates associated with these exposure pathways had the largest variance.     

南方某典型矿冶污染场地健康风险评价及修复建议

矿区及周边土壤重金属污染不容忽视,砷、镉和铅等对周边人群造成较高的健康风险隐患。以南方红壤区某铅锌冶炼矿区污染场地为研究对象,开展危害识别、暴露评估、毒性评估及风险表征,并讨论场地修复目标值与修复技术。结果表明：土壤受到重金属复合污染,关注污染物为四类重金属,包括铅、砷、镉和锌,集中于表层土壤（0~0.6 m）,并呈现空间分布规律性;场地未来用地类型为工业用地,对比污染物（不包括铅）各层（第1层0~0.3 m、第2层0.3~0.6 m、第3层0.6~1.0 m）风险表征值,污染物（砷、镉）存在致癌风险与非致癌危害,研究区重金属污染累积风险水平不可接受;分析风险控制值及国内外相关标准限值等,初步建议砷、镉和铅的修复目标值分别为13.41、21.50和600 mg·kg-1;同时,针对场地污染现状及健康风险,建议源控制与修复技术并用,并与当地工业园区建设统筹开展。     

污染场地绿色可持续修复理念、工程实践及对我国的启示

经过近30年的污染场地修复实践,越来越多的人意识到传统的修复理念存在很多不足。在可持续发展的社会背景下,欧美各国积极倡导绿色可持续修复理念,全面考查污染场地的修复行为对环境、社会和经济造成的所有影响,从而使修复行为的效益最大化。本文介绍了绿色可持续修复的概念与发展情况、评估指标和方法,并分析了一个从多方面贯彻绿色可持续修复原则的工程实践案例。最后,从加强行业和公众的教育培训、构建基于国情的绿色可持续修复评估框架、强化场地前期调查、提高社会利益相关方的参预性等几方面,对我国推进绿色可持续修复的发展提出建议。     

双碳背景下污染场地修复策略与技术前景

我国承诺在2030年实现碳达峰,2060年实现碳中和的目标。在此“双碳”背景下,我国场地修复行业的目标已从单纯追求效率,转变为低碳减排与高效修复并重。这一转变对未来的污染场地修复提出了新的要求,即需要全面融入低碳环境服务过程,注重风险管控、原位治理和节能降耗等。因此,在设计具体的修复路线时,应尽量实现修复过程节能降耗减排、逸散性温室气体排放控制和修复后土壤资源化利用等目标。基于这些要求,传统的原位热脱附技术将面临降低能耗的严苛挑战,多相抽提技术将面临设备节能降耗挑战,增溶脱附技术将面临材料研发绿色节能挑战,土壤淋洗技术将面临药剂绿色挑战等。为实现将低碳目标贯彻污染场地修复过程这一目的,针对性的措施和技术包括：技术装备的低碳运行、使用人工智能修复装备、碳排放智能监测计算、场地大数据分析技术、可持续原位生物修复技术、原位风险阻隔技术、多参数实时原位监测技术和土壤生态碳汇技术等。上述方面的优化和转型升级将有望成为未来污染场地修复中新装备及新技术的发展方向。     

Soil remediation techniques at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. A critical review

The objective of this critical review is to address soil remediation techniques at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites with regard to the following areas: 1) important regulatory and technical issues and information needs concerning soil remediation at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; 2) approaches for selection of remediation techniques; and 3) the current state of knowledge regarding soil remediation techniques, including applications and limitations. The areas identified above are addressed with regard to current information, selected milestone publications, and specific applications of technologies to provide a synthesis of the topic. The information concerning current issues, approaches, and soil remediation techniques presented was critically reviewed in order to: 1) identify deficiencies in current approaches; 2) develop a conceptual framework for remediation; and 3) recommend improved approaches for selection of remediation technologies.     

Atmospheric gas and particle measurements at a rural northeastern U.S. site

Ammonia, nitric acid, sulfur dioxide and particles in two size ranges were collected at a rural site in northeastern U.S. in January–March 1984. Ammonia was collected with an oxalic acid coated denuder, all other components were collected on filters. The concentrations of ammonia ranged between 0.0 and 0.5 ppbv, nitric acid: 0.1 and 2.3 ppbv and sulfur dioxide: 1 and 52 ppbv. Ammonium and sulfate in the fine particles were highly correlated, the regression line indicated that the most abundant compound was ammonium sulphate. The content of free hydronium ions in the fine particles was well below the ammonium content. No correlation between NH₃ and NH⁺₄, HNO₃ and NO₃ SO₃ and SO⁻²₄ could be observed.     

一种新型隔热材料在原位土壤热修复工程中的表面阻隔效应

对原位热修复场地表层土壤采用有效的隔热措施,有助于实现节能降耗.纳米中空陶瓷微珠水性隔热涂料是一种新型隔热材料,导热系数低,可作为原位热修复修复场地的表面阻隔材料.通过现场实验,探究了该涂料的隔热性能及其受施工方法、实验区域尺寸等因素的影响.结果 表明,在加热井热影响区域内,新型隔热材料的温度梯度最高可达13600℃·...     

An evaluation of the role of risk-based decision-making in a former manufactured gas plant site remediation

Environmental remediation decisions are driven by the need to minimize human health and ecological risks posed by environmental releases. The Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund Sites enunciates the principles of exposure and risk assessment that are to be used for reaching remediation decisions for sites under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Experience with remediation management under CERCLA has led to recognition of some crucial infirmities in the processes for managing remediation: cleanup management policies are ad hoc in character, mandates and practices are strongly conservative, and contaminant risk management occurs in an artificially narrow context. The purpose of this case study is to show how a policy of risk-based decision-making was used to avoid customary pitfalls in site remediation. This case study describes the risk-based decision-making process in a remedial action program at a former manufactured gas plant site that successfully achieved timely and effective cleanup. The remediation process operated outside the confines of the CERCLA process under an administrative consent order between the utility and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. A residential use end state was negotiated as part of this agreement. The attendant uncertainties, complications, and unexpected contingencies were overcome by using the likely exposures associated with the desired end state to structure all of the remediation management decisions and by collecting site-specific information from the very outset to obtain a detailed and realistic characterization of human health risks that needed to be mitigated. The lessons from this case study are generalizable to more complicated remediation cases, when supported by correspondingly sophisticated technical approaches.