Difference between revisions of "User:Jhurley/sandbox"

From Enviro Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Sediment Capping)
(13 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
==Sediment Capping==   
 
==Sediment Capping==   
Capping is an ''in situ'' remedial technology that involves placement of a clean substrate on the surface of [[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction | contaminated sediments]] to reduce contaminant uptake by benthic organisms and contaminant flux to surface water.  Simple sand caps can be effective in reducing exposure of benthic organisms and by limiting oxygen transport, resulting in precipitation of metal sulfides. Amendments are sometimes included in caps to reduce permeability and water flow, to increase contaminant sorption or biodegradation, or to improve habitat.   
+
Capping is an ''in situ'' remedial technology that involves placement of a clean substrate on the surface of [[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction | contaminated sediments]] to reduce contaminant uptake by benthic organisms and contaminant flux to surface water.  Simple sand caps can be effective in reducing exposure of benthic organisms and in limiting oxygen transport into the contaminated sediments, resulting in precipitation of metal sulfides. Amendments are sometimes included in caps to reduce cap permeability and groundwater upwelling, to increase contaminant sorption or biodegradation, or to improve habitat.   
 
<div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>
 
<div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>
  
Line 15: Line 15:
 
*Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Reible2014">Reible, D. D., Editor, 2014. Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Springer, New York, NY. 462 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4614-6725-0</ref>
 
*Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Reible2014">Reible, D. D., Editor, 2014. Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Springer, New York, NY. 462 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4614-6725-0</ref>
  
* Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Palermo1998">Palermo, M., Maynord, S., Miller, J. and Reible, D., 1998. Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments. Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Program, Great Lakes National Program Office, US EPA 905-B96-004. 147 pp.</ref>
+
* Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Palermo1998">Palermo, M., Maynord, S., Miller, J. and Reible, D., 1998. Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments. Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Program, Great Lakes National Program Office, US EPA 905-B96-004. 147 pp. [[Media: USEPA_905-B96-004.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
  
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
[[File:123TCPFig1.png|thumb|left|Figure 1. Ball and stick representation of the molecular structure of TCP (Salter-Blanc and Tratnyek, unpublished)]]
+
[[File:SedCapFig1.png|thumb|left|470px|Figure 1. Conceptual sketch of a cap configuration]]
1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) (Figure 1) is a man-made chemical that was used in the past primarily as a solvent and extractive agent, as a paint and varnish remover, and as a cleaning and degreasing agent.<ref name="ATSDR2021"> Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 2021. Toxicological Profile for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. Free download from: [https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp57.pdf ATSDR]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: TCP2021ATSDR.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. Currently, TCP is primarily used in chemical synthesis of compounds such as [[Wikipedia: Polysulfone | polysulfone]] liquid polymers used in the aerospace and automotive industries; [[Wikipedia: Hexafluoropropylene | hexafluoropropylene]] used in the agricultural, electronic, and pharmaceutical industries; [[Wikipedia: Polysulfide | polysulfide]] polymers used as sealants in manufacturing and construction; and [[Wikipedia: 1,3-Dichloropropene | 1,3-dichloropropene]] used in agriculture as a soil fumigant. TCP may also be present in products containing these chemicals as an impurity<ref name="ATSDR2021"/><ref name="CH2M2005">CH2M HILL, 2005. Interim Guidance for Investigating Potential 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Sources in San Gabriel Valley Area 3. [[Media: INTERIM_GUIDANCE_FOR_INVESTIGATING_POTENTIAL_1%2C2%2C3-TRICHLOROPROPANE_SOURCES.pdf | Report.pdf]]&nbsp;&nbsp;  [https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0902093  Website]</ref>. For example, the 1,2-dichlropropane/1,3-dichloropropene soil fumigant mixture (trade name D-D), which is no longer sold in the United States, contained TCP as an impurity and has been linked to TCP contamination in groundwater<ref name="OkiGiambelluca1987">Oki, D.S. and Giambelluca, T.W., 1987. DBCP, EDB, and TCP Contamination of Ground Water in Hawaii. Groundwater, 25(6), pp. 693-702.  [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.1987.tb02210.x DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1987.tb02210.x]</ref><ref name="CH2M2005"/>. Soil fumigants currently in use which are composed primarily of 1,3-dichloropropene may also contain TCP as an impurity, for instance Telone II has been reported to contain up to 0.17 percent TCP by weight<ref name="Kielhorn2003">Kielhorn, J., Könnecker, G., Pohlenz-Michel, C., Schmidt, S. and Mangelsdorf, I., 2003. Concise International Chemical Assessment Document 56: 1,2,3-Trichloropropane. World Health Organization, Geneva.  [http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/en/cicad56.pdf Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: WHOcicad56TCP.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
+
Capping is an ''in situ'' remedial technology for contaminated sediments that involves placement of a clean substrate on the sediment surface. Capping contaminated sediments following [[Wikipedia: Dredging | dredging operations]] and capping of dredged material to stabilize contaminants has been a common practice by the United States Army Corps of Engineers since the 1970s.  Beginning in the 1980s, in Japan and subsequently elsewhere, capping has been used more widely as a remedial approach to improve the quality of the bottom substrate and reduce contaminant exposures to benthic organisms and fish. The USEPA published a capping guidance document in 1998 that summarizes past uses of sediment capping and outlines its basic design<ref name="Palermo1998"/>.   Although capping technology has developed substantially in the past 20 years, this early reference still provides useful information on the approach and its applications. A more recent summary of capping is described in Reible 2014<ref name="Reible2014"/>.
  
TCP contamination is problematic because it is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on evidence of carcinogenicity to animals<ref name="NTP2016"> National Toxicology Program, 2016. Report on Carcinogens, 14th ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. Free download from: [https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/content/profiles/trichloropropane.pdf NIH]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: NTP2016trichloropropane.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. Toxicity to humans appears to be high relative to other chlorinated solvents<ref name="Kielhorn2003"/>, suggesting that even low-level exposure to TCP could pose a significant human health risk.
+
Capping serves to contain contaminated sediment solids, isolate contaminants from benthic organisms and reduce contaminant transport to the sediment surface and overlying water. The clean substrate may be an inert material such as sand, a natural sorbing material such as other sediments or clays, or be amended with an active/reactive material to enhance the isolation of the contaminantsAmendments to enhance contaminant isolation include permeability reduction agents to divert groundwater flow, sorbents to retard contaminant migration through the capping layer or provide greater accumulation capacity, or reagents to encourage degradation or transformation of the contaminants.  
  
==Environmental Fate==
+
The basic concept of a cap is illustrated in Figure 1. The Figure also illustrates that a cap is often a thin layer or layers relative to water depth and generally causes little disturbance to the underlying sediments or body of water in which it is placed.  Depending upon the erosive forces to which the cap may be subjected, the surface layer may be composed of relatively coarse material to withstand those erosive forces.  
TCP’s fate in the environment is governed by its physical and chemical properties (Table 1). TCP does not adsorb strongly to soil, making it likely to leach into groundwater and exhibit high mobility. In addition, TCP is moderately volatile and can partition from surface water and moist soil into the atmosphere. Because TCP is only slightly soluble and denser than water, it can form a [[Wikipedia: Dense non-aqueous phase liquid | dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL)]] as observed at the Tyson’s Dump Superfund Site<ref name="USEPA2019"> United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2019. Fifth Five-year Review Report, Tyson’s Dump Superfund Site, Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Free download from: [https://semspub.epa.gov/work/03/2282817.pdf USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: USEPA2019.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. TCP is generally resistant to aerobic biodegradation, hydrolysis, oxidation, and reduction under naturally occurring conditions making it persistent in the environment<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
 
  
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:10px;text-align:center;"
+
Although a cap is typically thin compared to the water depth, it generally must be thicker than the biologically active zone (BAZ) of the sedimentsThe biologically active zone is that zone in which benthic organisms live and interact with the sedimentTheir activities tend to mix the BAZ (known as [[Wikipedia: Bioturbation | bioturbation]]) over the course of a few years and thus a cap that is thinner than the BAZ will tend to become intermixed with the underlying contaminated sediments.   Processes other than bioturbation including diffusion, advection or groundwater upwelling, hyporheic exchange near the interface, biogenic gas production and migration and underlying sediment consolidation can all lead to contaminant migration into and through a capThese occur at different rates and intensities and their assessment and evaluation ultimately governs the effectiveness of a cap and the feasibility of its use as a sediment remediation technology for a particular site.
|+Table 1.  Physical and chemical properties of TCP<ref name="USEPA2017">United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2017. Technical Fact Sheet—1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP). EPA Project 505-F-17-007. 6 ppFree download from: [https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-10/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminants_tcp_9-15-17_508.pdf USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: epa_tcp_2017.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
 
|-
 
!Property
 
!Value
 
|-
 
| Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number || 96-18-4
 
|-
 
| Physical Description</br>(at room temperature) || Colorless to straw-colored liquid
 
|-
 
| Molecular weight  (g/mol) || 147.43
 
|-
 
| Water solubility at 25°C  (mg/L)|| 1,750 (slightly soluble)
 
|-
 
| Melting point  (°C)|| -14.7
 
|-
 
| Boiling point (°C) || 156.8
 
|-
 
| Vapor pressure at 25°C  (mm Hg) || 3.10 to 3.69
 
|-
 
| Density at 20°C (g/cm<sup>3</sup>) || 1.3889
 
|-
 
| Octanol-water partition coefficient</br>(log''K<sub>ow</sub>'') || 1.98 to 2.27</br>(temperature dependent)
 
|-
 
| Organic carbon-water partition coefficient</br>(log''K<sub>oc</sub>'') || 1.70 to 1.99</br>(temperature dependent)
 
|-
 
| Henry’s Law constant at 25°C</br>(atm-m<sup>3</sup>/mol) || 3.17x10<sup>-4</sup><ref name="ATSDR2021"/> to 3.43x10<sup>-4</sup><ref name="LeightonCalo1981">Leighton Jr, D.T. and Calo, J.M., 1981. Distribution Coefficients of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Dilute Air-Water Systems for Groundwater Contamination Applications. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 26(4), pp. 382-385.  [https://doi.org/10.1021/je00026a010 DOI: 10.1021/je00026a010]</ref>
 
|}
 
  
==Occurrence==
+
In general, capping is an effective remedial technology for contaminants that are strongly associated with the sediment solids including hydrophobic organic compounds such as high molecular weight [[Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) | polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)]], [[Wikipedia: Polychlorinated biphenyl | polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)]], [[Wikipedia: Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds | dioxins]] and [[Wikipedia: DDT | DDTx]], but also [[Metal and Metalloid Contaminants | heavy metals]]. Hydrophobic organic compounds tend to strongly associate with the organic fraction of sediments so organic rich sediments or the addition of organic phases to the capping material can be very effective at containing these contaminants. Many of the common heavy metals of concern, including cadmium, copper, nickel, zinc, lead and mercury, tend to be associated with insoluble sulfides under strongly reducing conditions. Since oxygen penetration into a capping layer is typically limited to a few cm or less at the surface, a cap serves to drive the underlying contaminated sediment toward strongly reducing conditions and, particularly in marine and estuarine sediments, encourage sulfate reduction leading to the formation of these insoluble sulfides. The low solubility of these sulfides encourages retention by a capping layer and makes the cap extremely effective as a remedial approach for sediments with elevated concentrations of heavy metals.
TCP has been detected in approximately 1% of public water supply and domestic well samples tested by the United States Geological Survey. More specifically, TCP was detected in 1.2% of public supply well samples collected between 1993 and 2007 by Toccalino and Hopple<ref name="ToccalinoHopple2010">Toccalino, P.L., Norman, J.E., Hitt, K.J., 2010. Quality of Source Water from Public-Supply Wells in the United States, 1993–2007. Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5024. U.S. Geological Survey. [https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20105024 DOI: 10.3133/sir20105024] Free download from: [https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20105024 USGS]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Quality_of_source_water_from_public-supply_wells_in_the_United_States%2C_1993-2007.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> and 0.66% of domestic supply well samples collected between 1991 and 2004 by DeSimone<ref name="DeSimone2009">DeSimone, L.A., 2009. Quality of Water from Domestic Wells in Principal Aquifers of the United States, 1991–2004. U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5227. 139 pp. Free download from: [http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5227 USGS]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: DeSimone2009.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. TCP was detected at a higher rate in domestic supply well samples associated with agricultural land-use studies than samples associated with studies comparing primary aquifers (3.5% versus 0.2%)<ref name="DeSimone2009"/>.  
 
  
==Regulation==
+
A variety of tools have been developed to evaluate the processes leading to sorption and retardation of contaminants as well as processes leading to contaminant migration and release. The original references quantifying contaminant behavior in a sediment cap were explored in a series of papers in the early 1990s<ref name="Wang1991">Wang, X.Q., Thibodeaux, L.J., Valsaraj, K.T. and Reible, D.D., 1991. Efficiency of Capping Contaminated Bed Sediments in Situ. 1. Laboratory-Scale Experiments on Diffusion-Adsorption in the Capping Layer. Environmental Science and Technology, 25(9), pp.1578-1584. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es00021a008 DOI: 10.1021/es00021a008]</ref><ref name="Thoma1993">Thoma, G.J., Reible, D.D., Valsaraj, K.T. and Thibodeaux, L.J., 1993. Efficiency of Capping Contaminated Bed Sediments in Situ 2. Mathematics of Diffusion-Adsorption in the Capping Layer. Environmental Science and Technology, 27(12), pp.2412-2419. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es00048a015 DOI: 10.1021/es00048a015]</ref>. Since that time, design tools have been continuously improved. [https://www.depts.ttu.edu/ceweb/research/reiblesgroup/downloads.php CapSim] is a commonly used and current tool developed by Dr. Reible and collaborators. This tool can evaluate contaminant release from uncapped, capped, and treated sediments for purposes of design and evaluation. The model formulation and structure is described in Shen et al. 2018<ref name="Shin2018">Shen, X., Lampert, D., Ogle, S. and Reible, D., 2018. A software tool for simulating contaminant transport and remedial effectiveness in sediment environments. Environmental Modelling and Software, 109, pp. 104-113. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.08.014 DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.08.014]</ref>. One common use of such a tool is to evaluate the effect of various cap materials and thicknesses on the performance of a cap.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has not established an MCL for TCP, although guidelines and health standards are in place<ref name="USEPA2017"/>. TCP was included in the Contaminant Candidate List 3<ref name="USEPA2009">United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), 2009. Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 3-Final. Federal Register 74(194), pp. 51850–51862, Document E9-24287. [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/10/08/E9-24287/drinking-water-contaminant-candidate-list-3-final Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: FR74-194DWCCL3.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 (UCMR 3)<ref name="USEPA2012">United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), 2012. Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Mentoring Regulation (UCMR 3) for Public Water Systems. Federal Register 77(85) pp. 26072-26101. [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/05/02/2012-9978/revisions-to-the-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-regulation-ucmr-3-for-public-water-systems  Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: FR77-85UCMR3.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. The UCMR 3 specified that data be collected on TCP occurrence in public water systems over the period of January 2013 through December 2015 against a reference concentration range of 0.0004 to 0.04 μg/L<ref name="USEPA2017a">United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2017. The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3): Data Summary. EPA 815-S-17-001. [https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/data-summary-third-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule  Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: ucmr3-data-summary-january-2017.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. The reference concentration range was determined based on a cancer risk of 10-6 to 10-4 and derived from an oral slope factor of 30 mg/kg-day, which was determined by the EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System<ref name="IRIS2009">USEPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), 2009. 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (CASRN 96-18-4). [https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris2/chemicalLanding.cfm?substance_nmbr=200 Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: TCPsummaryIRIS.pdf | Summary.pdf]]</ref>. Of 36,848 samples collected during UCMR 3, 0.67% exceeded the minimum reporting level of 0.03 µg/L. 1.4% of public water systems had at least one detection over the minimum reporting level, corresponding to 2.5% of the population<ref name="USEPA2017a"/>. While these occurrence percentages are relatively low, the minimum reporting level of 0.03 µg/L is more than 75 times the USEPA-calculated Health Reference Level of 0.0004 µg/L. Because of this, TCP may occur in public water systems at concentrations that exceed the Health Reference Level but are below the minimum reporting level used during UCMR 3 data collection. These analytical limitations and lack of lower-level occurrence data have prevented the USEPA from making a preliminary regulatory determination for TCP<ref name="USEPA2021">USEPA, 2021. Announcement of Final Regulatory Determinations for Contaminants on the Fourth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List. Free download from: [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/10019.70.ow_ccl_reg_det_4.final_web.pdf USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: CCL4.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
 
  
Some US states have established their own standards including Hawaii which has established an MCL of 0.6 μg/L<ref name="HDOH2013">Hawaii Department of Health, 2013. Amendment and Compilation of Chapter 11-20 Hawaii Administrative Rules. Free download from: [http://health.hawaii.gov/sdwb/files/2016/06/combodOPPPD.pdf Hawaii Department of Health]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Amendment_and_Compilation_of_Chapter_11-20_Hawaii_Administrative_Rules.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. California has established an MCL of 0.005 μg/L<ref name="CCR2021">California Code of Regulations, 2021. Section 64444 Maximum Contaminant Levels – Organic Chemicals (22 CA ADC § 64444). [https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IA7B3800D18654ABD9E2D24A445A66CB9 Website]</ref>,  a notification level of 0.005 μg/L, and a public health goal of 0.0007 μg/L<ref name="OEHHA2009">Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), California Environmental Protection Agency, 2009. Final Public Health Goal for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in Drinking Water. [https://oehha.ca.gov/water/public-health-goal/final-public-health-goal-123-trichloropropane-drinking-water Website]</ref>, and New Jersey has established an MCL of 0.03 μg/L<ref name="NJAC2020">New Jersey Administrative Code 7:10, 2020. Safe Drinking Water Act Rules. Free download from: [https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_10.pdf  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]</ref>.  
+
==Cap Design and Materials for Chemical Containment==
 +
An inert material such as sand can be effective as a capping material where contaminants are strongly associated with solids and where the operative site specific transport mechanisms do not lead to rapid contaminant migration through such a material. Additional contaminant containment can often be achieved through the placement of clean sediment, e.g. dredged material from a nearby location.  Other materials as cap layers or amendments may be useful to address particularly mobile contaminants or when particular degradative mechanisms can be exploited. The Anacostia River was the site of a demonstration that first tested “active” or “amended” capping in the field<ref name="Reible2003">Reible, D., Constant, D.W., Roberts, K. and Zhu, Y., 2003. Active capping demonstration project in anacostia DC. In Second International Conference on the Remediation of Contaminated Sediments: October. Free download available from: [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Danny-Reible/publication/237747790_ACTIVE_CAPPING_DEMONSTRATION_PROJECT_IN_ANACOSTIA_DC/links/0c96053861030b7699000000/ACTIVE-CAPPING-DEMONSTRATION-PROJECT-IN-ANACOSTIA-DC.pdf ResearchGate]</ref><ref name="Reible2006">Reible, D., Lampert, D., Constant, D., Mutch Jr, R.D. and Zhu, Y., 2006. Active Capping Demonstration in the Anacostia River, Washington, DC. Remediation Journal: The Journal of Environmental Cleanup Costs, Technologies and Techniques, 17(1), pp. 39-53. [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.20111 DOI: 10.1002/rem.20111]  Free download available from: [https://www.academia.edu/download/44146457/Remediation_Journal_Paper_2006.pdf Academia.edu]</ref>. Amended caps are often the best option when groundwater upwelling or other advective processes promote significant mobility of contaminants and the addition of sorbents can slow that contaminant migration<ref name="Ghosh2011">Ghosh, U., Luthy, R.G., Cornelissen, G., Werner, D. and Menzie, C.A., 2011. In-situ Sorbent Amendments: A New Direction in Contaminated Sediment Management. Environmental Science and Technology, 45(4), pp. 1163-1168. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es102694h DOI: 10.1021/es102694h]  Open access article from: [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es102694h American Chemical Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Ghosh2011.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  Although a variety of materials have been proposed for sediment caps, a far smaller number of options have been successfully employed in the field.
 +
 +
Metals migration is very site dependent due to the potential for many metals to complex with other species in the interstitial water and the specific metal speciation present at a site.  Often, the strongly reducing environment beneath a cap renders many common metals unavailable through the formation of metal sulfides. In such cases, a simple sand cap can be very effective.  Amended caps to manage metal contaminated sediments may be advantageous when site specific conditions lead to elevated metals mobility, but should be supported with site specific testing<ref name="Viana2008">Viana, P.Z., Yin, K. and Rockne, K.J., 2008. Modeling Active Capping Efficacy. 1. Metal and Organometal Contaminated Sediment Remediation. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(23), pp. 8922-8929. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es800942t DOI: 10.1021/es800942t]</ref>.
  
==Transformation Processes==
+
For hydrophobic organic contaminants, cap amendments that directly control groundwater upwelling and also sorbents that can remove migrating contaminants from that groundwater have been successfully employed.   Examples include clay materials such as AquaBlok<sup>&reg;</sup> for permeability control, sorbents such as [[Wikipedia: Activated carbon | activated carbon]] for truly dissolved contaminants, and [[Wikipedia: Organoclay | organophilic clays]] for separate phase contaminants.
[[File:123TCPFig2.png|thumb|600px|left|Figure 2. Figure 2. Summary of anticipated primary reaction pathways for degradation of TCP. Oxidation, hydrolysis, and hydrogenolysis are represented by the horizontal arrows. Elimination (dehydrochlorination) and reductive elimination are shown with vertical arrows. [O] represents oxygenation (by oxidation or hydrolysis), [H] represents reduction. Gray indicates products that appear to be of lesser significance<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.]]  
 
Potential TCP degradation pathways include hydrolysis, oxidation, and reduction (Figure 2). These pathways are expected to be similar overall for abiotic and biotic reactions<ref name="Sarathy2010">Sarathy, V., Salter, A.J., Nurmi, J.T., O’Brien Johnson, G., Johnson, R.L., and Tratnyek, P.G., 2010. Degradation of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane (TCP): Hydrolysis, Elimination, and Reduction by Iron and Zinc. Environmental Science and Technology, 44(2), pp.787-793.  [https://doi.org/10.1021/es902595j DOI: 10.1021/es902595j]</ref>, but the rates of the reactions (and their resulting significance for remediation) depend on natural and engineered conditions.  
 
  
The rate of hydrolysis of TCP is negligible under typical ambient pH and temperature conditions but is favorable at high pH and/or temperature<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Sarathy2010"/>. For example, ammonia gas can be used to raise soil pH and stimulate alkaline hydrolysis of chlorinated propanes including TCP<ref name="Medina2016">Medina, V.F., Waisner, S.A., Griggs, C.S., Coyle, C., and Maxwell, M., 2016. Laboratory-Scale Demonstration Using Dilute Ammonia Gas-Induced Alkaline Hydrolysis of Soil Contaminants (Chlorinated Propanes and Explosives). US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory (ERDC/EL), Report TR-16-10. [http://hdl.handle.net/11681/20312 Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: ERDC_EL_TR_16_10.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. [[Thermal Conduction Heating (TCH)]] may also produce favorable conditions for TCP hydrolysis<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Sarathy2010"/>.
+
The placement of clean sediment as an ''in situ'' cap can be difficult when the material is fine grained or has a low density. Capping with a layer of coarse grained material such as clean sand mitigates this issue although clean sands have minimal sorption capacity.  Because of this limitation, sand caps may not be sufficient for achieving remedial goals in sites where contamination levels are high or transport rates are fast due to pore water upwelling or tidal pumping effects. Conditions such as these may require the use of “active” amendments to reduce transport rates.  
 +
   
 +
Capping with clean sand provides a physical barrier between the underlying contaminated material and the overlying water, stabilizes the underlying sediment to prevent re-suspension of contaminated particles, and can reduce chemical exposure under certain conditions. Sand primarily provides a passive barrier to the downward penetration of bioturbating organisms and the upward movement of sediment or contaminantsAlthough conventional sandy caps can often be an effective means of managing contaminated sediments, there are conditions when sand caps may not be capable of achieving design objectives. Some factors that reduce the effectiveness of sand caps include:
  
==Treatment Approaches==
+
*erosion and loss of cap integrity
Compared to more frequently encountered CVOCs such as [[Wikipedia: Trichloroethylene | trichloroethene (TCE)]] and [[Wikipedia: Tetrachloroethylene | tetrachloroethene (PCE)]], TCP is relatively recalcitrant<ref name="Merrill2019">Merrill, J.P., Suchomel, E.J., Varadhan, S., Asher, M., Kane, L.Z., Hawley, E.L., and Deeb, R.A., 2019. Development and Validation of Technologies for Remediation of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in Groundwater. Current Pollution Reports, 5(4), pp. 228–237.  [https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-019-00122-7 | DOI: 10.1007/s40726-019-00122-7]</ref><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>. TCP is generally resistant to hydrolysis, bioremediation, oxidation, and reduction under natural conditions<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.  The moderate volatility of TCP makes air stripping, air sparging, and soil vapor extraction (SVE) less effective compared to other VOCs<ref name="Merrill2019"/>. Despite these challenges, both ''ex situ'' and ''in situ'' treatment technologies exist. ''Ex situ'' treatment processes are relatively well established and understood but can be cost prohibitive. ''In situ'' treatment methods are comparatively limited and less-well developed, though promising field-scale demonstrations of some ''in situ'' treatment technologies have been conducted.
+
*high groundwater upwelling rates
 +
*mobile (low sorption) contaminants of concern (COCs)
 +
*high COC concentrations
 +
*unusually toxic COCs
 +
*the presence of tidal influences
 +
*the presence of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs)
 +
*high rates of gas ebullition
  
===''Ex Situ'' Treatment===
+
Of these, the first three are common limitations to capping and often control the ability to effectively design and implement a cap as a sediment remedial strategy. In these cases, it may be possible to offset these issues by increasing the thickness of the cap. However, the required thickness can reach infeasible levels in shallow streams or navigable water bodies. In addition, increased construction costs associated with thick caps may become prohibitive. As a result of these issues, caps that use alternative materials (also known as active caps) to reduce the thickness or increase the protectiveness of a cap may be necessaryThe materials in active caps are designed to interact with the COCs to enhance the containment properties of the cap.  
The most common ''ex situ'' treatment technology for groundwater contaminated with TCP is groundwater extraction and treatment<ref name="SaminJanssen2012">Samin, G. and Janssen, D.B., 2012. Transformation and biodegradation of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 19(8), pp. 3067-3078. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0859-3 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-012-0859-3]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: SaminJanssen2012.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. Extraction of TCP is generally effective given its relatively high solubility in water and low degree of partitioning to soil. After extraction, TCP is typically removed by adsorption to granular activated carbon (GAC)<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="CalEPA2017">California Environmental Protection Agency, 2017. Groundwater Information Sheet, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP). State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, 8 pp. Free download from: [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/docs/coc_tcp123.pdf California Waterboards]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: CalEPA2017tcp123.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
 
  
TCP contamination in drinking water sources is typically treated using granular activated carbon (GAC)<ref name="Hooker2012">Hooker, E.P., Fulcher, K.G. and Gibb, H.J., 2012. Report to the Hawaii Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch, Regarding the Human Health Risks of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane in Tap Water. [https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.269.2485&rep=rep1&type=pdf Free Download]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Hooker2012.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
+
[[Wikipedia: Apatite | Apatites]] are a class of naturally occurring minerals that have been investigated as a sorbent for metals in soils and sediments<ref name="Melton2003">Melton, J.S., Crannell, B.S., Eighmy, T.T., Wilson, C. and Reible, D.D., 2003. Field Trial of the UNH Phosphate-Based Reactive Barrier Capping System for the Anacostia River. EPA Grant R819165-01-0</ref><ref name="Reible2003"/><ref name="Knox2012">Knox, A.S., Paller, M.H. and Roberts, J., 2012. Active Capping Technology—New Approaches for In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Remediation Journal, 22(2), pp.93-117.  [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.21313 DOI: 10.1002/rem.21313]  Free download available from: [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anna-Knox-2/publication/233374607_Active_Capping_Technology-New_Approaches_for_In_Situ_Remediation_of_Contaminated_Sediments/links/5a7de4c5aca272a73765c344/Active-Capping-Technology-New-Approaches-for-In-Situ-Remediation-of-Contaminated-Sediments.pdf ResearchGate]</ref>.  Apatites consist of a matrix of calcium phosphate and various other common anions, including fluoride, chloride, hydroxide, and occasionally carbonate. Metals are sequestered either through direct ion exchange with the calcium atom or dissolution of hydroxyapatite followed by precipitation of lead apatite.  [[Wikipedia: Zeolite | Zeolites]], which are microporous aluminosilicate minerals with a high cationic exchange capacity (CEC), have also been proposed to manage metal species<ref name="Zhan2019">Zhan, Y., Yu, Y., Lin, J., Wu, X., Wang, Y. and Zhao, Y., 2019. Simultaneous control of nitrogen and phosphorus release from sediments using iron-modified zeolite as capping and amendment materials. Journal of Environmental Management, 249, p.109369. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109369]</ref>.
 +
 
 +
It is possible to create a hydrophobic, sorbing layer for non-polar organics by exchanging a cationic surfactant onto the surface of clays such as zeolites and bentonites,. Organoclay is a modified bentonite containing such substitutions that has been evaluated for control of non-aqueous phase NAPLs and other organic contaminants<ref name="Reible2007">Reible, D.D., Lu, X., Moretti, L., Galjour, J. and Ma, X., 2007. Organoclays for the capping of contaminated sediments. AIChE Annual Meeting. ISBN: 978-081691022-9</ref>. An organoclay cap has been implemented for sediment remediation at the McCormick and Baxter site in Portland, OR<ref name="Parrett2005">Parrett, K. and Blishke, H., 2005. 23-Acre Multilayer Sediment Cap in Dynamic Riverine Environment Using Organoclay an Adsorptive Capping Material. Presentation to Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), 26th Annual Meeting.</ref>.  A similar organic sorbing phase can be formed by treating zeolites with surfactants but this approach has not been reported for contaminated sediments.  
  
In California, GAC is considered the best available technology (BAT) for treating TCP, and as of 2017 seven full-scale treatment facilities were using GAC to treat groundwater contaminated with TCP<ref name="CalEPA2017a">California Environmental Protection Agency, 2017Initial Statement of Reasons 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Maximum Contaminant Level Regulations. Water Resources Control Board, Title 22, California Code of Regulations (SBDDW-17-001). 36 pp. [https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/123-tcp/sbddw17_001/isor.pdf Free download]</ref>. Additionally, GAC has been used for over 30 years to treat 60 million gallons per day of TCP-contaminated groundwater in Hawaii<ref name="Babcock2018">Babcock Jr, R.W., Harada, B.K., Lamichhane, K.M., and Tsubota, K.T., 2018. Adsorption of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane (TCP) to meet a MCL of 5 ppt. Environmental Pollution, 233, 910-915. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.085  DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.085]</ref>.
+
Activated carbon is a strong sorbent of hydrophobic organic compounds and has been used as a [[In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Sediments with Activated Carbon | treatment for sediments]] or as an active sorbent within a capping layer<ref name="Zimmerman2004">Zimmerman, J.R., Ghosh, U., Millward, R.N., Bridges, T.S. and Luthy, R.G., 2004. Addition of Carbon Sorbents to Reduce PCB and PAH Bioavailability in Marine Sediments: Physicochemical Tests. Environmental Science and Technology, 38(20), pp. 5458-5464[https://doi.org/10.1021/es034992v DOI: 10.1021/es034992v]</ref><ref name="Werner2005">Werner, D., Higgins, C.P. and Luthy, R.G., 2005. The sequestration of PCBs in Lake Hartwell sediment with activated carbon. Water Research, 39(10), pp. 2105-2113.  [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2005.03.019 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2005.03.019]</ref><ref name="Abel2018">Abel, S. and Akkanen, J., 2018. A Combined Field and Laboratory Study on Activated Carbon-Based Thin Layer Capping in a PCB-Contaminated Boreal Lake. Environmental Science and Technology, 52(8), pp. 4702-4710. [https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b05114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05114] Open access article available from: [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.7b05114 American Chemical Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Abel2018.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Payne 2018">Payne, R.B., Ghosh, U., May, H.D., Marshall, C.W. and Sowers, K.R., 2019. A Pilot-Scale Field Study: In Situ Treatment of PCB-Impacted Sediments with Bioamended Activated Carbon. Environmental Science and Technology, 53(5), pp. 2626-2634. [https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b05019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05019]</ref><ref name="Yan2020">Yan, S., Rakowska, M., Shen, X., Himmer, T., Irvine, C., Zajac-Fay, R., Eby, J., Janda, D., Ohannessian, S. and Reible, D.D., 2020. Bioavailability Assessment in Activated Carbon Treated Coastal Sediment with In situ and Ex situ Porewater Measurements. Water Research, 185, p. 116259.  [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116259 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116259]</ref>. Placement of activated carbon for sediment capping is difficult due to the near neutral buoyancy of the material but it has been applied in this manner in relatively low energy environments such as Onondaga Lake, Syracuse, NY<ref name="Vlassopoulos2017">Vlassopoulos, D., Russell, K., Larosa, P., Brown, R., Mohan, R., Glaza, E., Drachenberg, T., Reible, D., Hague, W., McAuliffe, J. and Miller, S., 2017. Evaluation, Design, and Construction of Amended Reactive Caps to Restore Onondaga Lake, Syracuse, New York, USA. Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering, 10(1), pp. 13-27.  Free download available from: [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317762995_Evaluation_design_and_construction_of_amended_reactive_caps_to_restore_Onondaga_lake_Syracuse_New_York_USA ResearchGate]</ref>.  Alternatives in higher energy environments include placement of activated carbon in a mat such as the CETCO Reactive Core Mat (RCM)<sup>&reg;</sup> or Huesker Tektoseal<sup>&reg;</sup>, or as a composite material such as SediMite<sup>&reg;</sup> or AquaGate<sup>&reg;</sup>.  In the case of the mats, powdered or granular activated carbon can be placed in a controlled layer while the density of the composite materials is such that they can be broadcast from the surface and allowed to settle to the bottom.  In a sediment treatment application, the composite material would either be worked into the surface or allowed to intermix gradually by bioturbation and other processes.  In a capping application, the mat or composite material would typically be combined or overlain with a sand or other capping layer to keep it in place and to provide a chemical isolation layer away from the sediment surface.  
  
GAC has a low to moderate adsorption capacity for TCP, which can necessitate larger treatment systems and result in higher treatment costs relative to other organic contaminants<ref name="USEPA2017"/>.  Published Freundlich adsorption isotherm parameters<ref name="SnoeyinkSummers1999">Snoeyink, V.L. and Summers, R.S, 1999. Adsorption of Organic Compounds (Chapter 13), In: Water Quality and Treatment, 5th ed., Letterman, R.D., editor. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. ISBN 0-07-001659-3</ref> indicate that less TCP mass is adsorbed per gram of carbon compared to other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), resulting in increased carbon usage rate and treatment costRecent bench-scale studies indicate that subbituminous coal-based GAC and coconut shell-based GAC are the most effective types of GAC for treatment of TCP in groundwater<ref name="Babcock2018"/><ref name="Knappe2017">Knappe, D.R.U., Ingham, R.S., Moreno-Barbosa, J.J., Sun, M., Summers, R.S., and Dougherty, T., 2017. Evaluation of Henry’s Law Constants and Freundlich Adsorption Constants for VOCs. Water Research Foundation Project 4462 Final Report. [https://www.waterrf.org/research/projects/evaluation-henrys-law -constant-and-freundlich-adsorption-constant-vocs  Website]</ref>. To develop more economical and effective treatment approaches, further treatability studies with site groundwater (e.g., rapid small-scale column tests) may be needed.  
+
As an alternative to a sorptive capping amendment, low-permeability cap amendments have been proposed to enhance cap design life by decreasing pore water advection.  Low permeability clays are an effective means to divert upwelling groundwater away from a contaminated sediment area but are difficult to place in the aqueous environment.  Bentonite clays can be placed in mats similar to what is done to provide a low permeability liner in landfills. There are also commercial products that can place clays directly such as the composite material AquaBlok<sup>&reg;</sup>, a bentonite clay and polymer based mineral around an aggregate core<ref name="Barth2008">Barth, E.F., Reible, D. and Bullard, A., 2008. Evaluation of the physical stability, groundwater seepage control, and faunal changes associated with an AquaBlok<sup>&reg;</sup> sediment cap. Remediation: The Journal of Environmental Cleanup Costs, Technologies and Techniques, 18(4), pp.63-70.  [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.20183 DOI: 10.1002/rem.20183]</ref>.
 +
 
 +
Sediment caps become colonized by microorganisms from the sediments and surface water and potentially become a zone of pollutant biotransformation over time. Aerobic degradation occurs only near the solids-water interface in which benthic organisms are active and thus there might still be significant benthic organism exposure to contaminants. Biotransformation in the anaerobic zone of a cap, which typically extends well beyond the zone of benthic activity, could significantly reduce the risk of pollutant exposure but successful caps encouraging deep degradation processes have not been demonstrated beyond the laboratoryThe addition of materials such as nutrients and oxygen releasing compounds for enhancing the attenuation of contaminants through biodegradation has also been assessed but not applied in the field.  Short term improvements in biodegradation rates can be achieved through tailoring of conditions or addition of nutrients but long term efficacy has not been demonstrated<ref name="Pagnozzi2020">Pagnozzi, G., Carroll, S., Reible, D.D. and Millerick, K., 2020. Biological Natural Attenuation and Contaminant Oxidation in Sediment Caps: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities. Current Pollution Reports, pp.1-14. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-020-00153-5 DOI: 10.1007/s40726-020-00153-5]</ref>.
 +
[[File: SedCapFig2.png | thumb |600px|Figure 2. A conceptualization of a cap with accompanying habitat layer]]
  
===''In Situ'' Treatment===
+
==Cap Design and Materials for Habitat Restoration==
''In situ'' treatment of TCP to concentrations below current regulatory or advisory levels is difficult to achieve in both natural and engineered systems. However, several ''in situ'' treatment technologies have demonstrated promise for TCP remediation, including chemical reduction by zero-valent metals (ZVMs), chemical oxidation with strong oxidizers, and anaerobic bioremediation<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
+
In addition to providing chemical isolation and containment, a cap can also be used to provide improvements for organisms by enhancing the habitat characteristics of the bottom substrate<ref name="Yozzo2004">Yozzo, D.J., Wilber, P. and Will, R.J., 2004. Beneficial use of dredged material for habitat creation, enhancement, and restoration in New York–New Jersey Harbor. Journal of Environmental Management, 73(1), pp. 39-52. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.05.008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.05.008]</ref><ref name="Zhang2016">Zhang, C., Zhu, M.Y., Zeng, G.M., Yu, Z.G., Cui, F., Yang, Z.Z. and Shen, L.Q., 2016. Active capping technology: a new environmental remediation of contaminated sediment. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(5), pp.4370-4386. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6076-8 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6076-8]</ref><ref name="Vlassopoulos2017"/>.  Often, contaminated sediment environments are degraded for a variety of reasons in addition to the toxic constituents. One way to overcome this is to provide both a habitat layer and chemical isolation or contaminant capping layer. Figure 2 illustrates just such a design providing a more appropriate habitat enhancing substrate, in this case by incorporation additional organic material, vegetation and debris, which is often used by fish species for protection, into the surface layer. In a high energy environment, it should be recognized that it may not be possible to keep a suitable habitat layer in place during high flow events. This would be true of suitable habitat that had developed naturally as well as a constructed habitat layer and it is presumed that if such a habitat is the normal condition of the waterbody that it will recover over time between such high flow events.
 
 
===''In Situ'' Chemical Reduction (ISCR)===
 
Reduction of TCP under conditions relevant to natural attenuation has been observed to be negligible. Achieving significant degradation rates of TCP requires the addition of a chemical reductant to the contaminated zone<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.  Under reducing environmental conditions, some ZVMs have demonstrated the ability to reduce TCP all the way to [[wikipedia:Propene | propene]]. As shown in Figure 2, the desirable pathway for reduction of TCP is the formation of [[Wikipedia: Allyl_chloride | 3-chloro-1-propene (also known as allyl chloride)]] via [[Biodegradation_-_Reductive_Processes#Dihaloelimination | dihaloelimination]], which is then rapidly reduced to propene through [[Wikipedia:Hydrogenolysis |  hydrogenolysis]] <ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Torralba-Sanchez2020">Torralba-Sanchez, T.L., Bylaska, E.J., Salter-Blanc, A.J., Meisenheimer, D.E., Lyon, M.A., and Tratnyek, P.G., 2020. Reduction of 1, 2, 3-trichloropropane (TCP): pathways and mechanisms from computational chemistry calculations. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 22(3), 606-616. [https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00557A DOI: 10.1039/C9EM00557A]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Torralba-Sanchez2020.pdf | Open Access Article]]</ref>.  ZVMs including granular zero-valent iron (ZVI), nano ZVI, [[wikipedia: In_situ_chemical_reduction#Bimetallic%20materials | palladized nano ZVI]], and [[wikipedia: In_situ_chemical_reduction#Zero_valent_metals_%28ZVMs%29 | zero-valent zinc (ZVZ)]] have been evaluated by researchers<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
 
 
 
ZVI is a common reductant used for ISCR and, depending on the form used, has shown variable levels of success for TCP treatment. The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) Project ER-1457 measured the TCP degradation rates for various forms of ZVI and ZVZ.  Nano-scale ZVI and palladized ZVI increased the TCP reduction rate over that of natural attenuation, but the reaction is not anticipated to be fast enough to be useful in typical remediation applications<ref name="Sarathy2010"/>.
 
 
 
Commercial-grade zerovalent zinc (ZVZ) on the other hand is a strong reductant that reduces TCP relatively quickly under a range of laboratory and field conditions to produce propene without significant accumulation of intermediates<ref name="Sarathy2010"/><ref name="Salter-BlancTratnyek2011">Salter-Blanc, A.J. and Tratnyek, P.G., 2011. Effects of Solution Chemistry on the Dechlorination of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane by Zero-Valent Zinc. Environmental Science and Technology, 45(9), pp 4073–4079. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es104081p DOI: 10.1021/es104081p]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Salter-BlancTratnyek2011.pdf | Open access article]]</ref><ref name="Salter-Blanc2012">Salter-Blanc, A.J., Suchomel, E.J., Fortuna, J.H., Nurmi, J.T., Walker, C., Krug, T., O'Hara, S., Ruiz, N., Morley, T. and Tratnyek, P.G., 2012. Evaluation of Zerovalent Zinc for Treatment of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane‐Contaminated Groundwater: Laboratory and Field Assessment. Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation, 32(4), pp.42-52. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01402.x DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01402.x]</ref><ref name="Merrill2019"/>. Of the ZVMs tested as part of SERDP Project ER-1457, ZVZ had the fastest degradation rates for TCP<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>. In bench-scale studies, TCP was reduced by ZVZ to propene with 3-chloro-1-propene as the only detectable chlorinated intermediate, which was short-lived and detected only at trace concentrations<ref name="Torralba-Sanchez2020"/>.
 
 
 
Navy Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration (NESDI) Project 434 conducted bench-scale testing which demonstrated that commercially available ZVZ was effective for treating TCP. Additionally, this project evaluated field-scale ZVZ column treatment of groundwater impacted with TCP at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (MCBCP) in Oceanside, California. This study reported reductions of TCP concentrations by up to 95% which was maintained for at least twelve weeks with influent concentrations ranging from 3.5 to 10 µg/L, without any significant secondary water quality impacts detected<ref name="Salter-Blanc2012"/>.
 
 
 
Following the column study, a 2014 pilot study at MCBCP evaluated direct injection of ZVZ with subsequent monitoring. Direct injection of ZVZ was reportedly effective for TCP treatment, with TCP reductions ranging from 90% to 99% in the injection area. Concentration reduction downgradient of the injection area ranged from 50 to 80%. TCP concentrations have continued to decrease, and reducing conditions have been maintained in the aquifer since injection, demonstrating the long-term efficacy of ZVZ for TCP reduction<ref name="Kane2020"/>.
 
 
 
Potential ''in situ'' applications of ZVZ include direct injection, as demonstrated by the MCBCP pilot study, and permeable reactive barriers (PRBs). Additionally, ZVZ could potentially be deployed in an ''ex situ'' flow-through reactor, but the economic feasibility of this approach would depend in part on the permeability of the aquifer and in part on the cost of the reactor volumes of ZVZ media necessary for complete treatment.
 
 
 
===''In Situ'' Chemical Oxidation (ISCO)===
 
Chemical oxidation of TCP with mild oxidants such as permanganate or ozone is ineffective. However, stronger oxidants (e.g. activated peroxide and persulfate) can effectively treat TCP, although the rates are slower than observed for most other organic contaminants<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="CalEPA2017"/>. [[Wikipedia: Fenton's reagent | Fenton-like chemistry]] (i.e., Fe(II) activated hydrogen peroxide) has been shown to degrade TCP in the laboratory with half-lives ranging from 5 to 10 hours<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>, but field-scale demonstrations of this process have not been reported. Treatment of TCP with heat-activated or base-activated persulfate is effective but secondary water quality impacts from high sulfate may be a concern at some locations.
 
 
 
===Aerobic Bioremediation===
 
No naturally occurring microorganisms have been identified that degrade TCP under aerobic conditions<ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>. Relatively slow aerobic cometabolism by the ammonia oxidizing bacterium [[Wikipedia: Nitrosomonas europaea | Nitrosomonas europaea]] and other populations has been reported<ref name="Vanelli1990">Vannelli, T., Logan, M., Arciero, D.M., and Hooper, A.B., 1990. Degradation of Halogenated Aliphatic Compounds by the Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 56(4), pp. 1169–1171. [https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990 DOI: 10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990] Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/epdf/10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990 American Society of Microbiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Vannelli1990.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>, and genetic engineering has been used to develop organisms capable of utilizing TCP as a sole carbon source under aerobic conditions<ref name="Bosma2002">Bosma, T., Damborsky, J., Stucki, G., and Janssen, D.B., 2002. Biodegradation of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane through Directed Evolution and Heterologous Expression of a Haloalkane Dehalogenase Gene. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 68(7), pp. 3582–3587. [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002] Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/epub/10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002 American Society for Microbiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Bosma2002.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/><ref name="JanssenStucki2020">Janssen, D. B., and Stucki, G., 2020. Perspectives of genetically engineered microbes for groundwater bioremediation. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 22(3), pp. 487-499. [https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00601J DOI: 10.1039/C9EM00601J] Open access article from: [https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2020/em/c9em00601j Royal Society of Chemistry]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: JanssenStucki2020.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.
 
 
 
===Anaerobic Bioremediation===
 
Like other CVOCs, TCP has been shown to undergo biodegradation under anaerobic conditions via reductive dechlorination by [[Wikipedia:Dehalogenimonas | Dehalogenimonas (Dhg)]] species<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Yan2009">Yan, J., B.A. Rash, F.A. Rainey, and W.M. Moe, 2009. Isolation of novel bacteria within the Chloroflexi capable of reductive dechlorination of 1,2,3-trichloropropane. Environmental Microbiology, 11(4), pp. 833–843. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01804.x DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01804.x]</ref><ref name="Bowman2013">Bowman, K.S., Nobre, M.F., da Costa, M.S., Rainey, F.A., and Moe, W.M., 2013. Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens sp. nov., a chlorinated-alkane-dehalogenating bacterium isolated from groundwater. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 63(Pt_4), pp. 1492-1498. [https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0 DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0]  Free access article from: [https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0?crawler=true Microbiology Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Bowman2013.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Loffler1997">Loffler, F.E., Champine, J.E., Ritalahti, K.M., Sprague, S.J. and Tiedje, J.M., 1997. Complete Reductive Dechlorination of 1, 2-Dichloropropane by Anaerobic Bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63(7), pp.2870-2875. Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/aem.63.7.2870-2875.1997 American Society for Micrebiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Loffler1997.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Moe2019">Moe, W.M., Yan, J., Nobre, M.F., da Costa, M.S. and Rainey, F.A., 2009. Dehalogenimonas lykanthroporepellens gen. nov., sp. nov., a reductively dehalogenating bacterium isolated from chlorinated solvent-contaminated groundwater. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 59(11), pp.2692-2697. [https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0 DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0] Free download from: [https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0?crawler=true Microbiology Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Moe2009.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>. However, the kinetics are slower than for other CVOCsBioaugmentation cultures containing Dehalogenimonas (KB-1 Plus, SiREM) are commercially available and have been implemented for remediation of TCP-contaminated groundwater<ref name="Schmitt2017">Schmitt, M., Varadhan, S., Dworatzek, S., Webb, J. and Suchomel, E., 2017. Optimization and validation of enhanced biological reduction of 1,2,3-trichloropropane in groundwater. Remediation Journal, 28(1), pp.17-25. [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.21539 DOI: 10.1002/rem.21539]</ref>. One laboratory study examined the effect of pH on biotransformation of TCP over a wide range of TCP concentrations (10 to 10,000 µg/L) and demonstrated that successful reduction occurred from a pH of 5 to 9, though optimal conditions were from pH 7 to 9<ref name="Schmitt2017"/>. 
 
 
 
As with other microbial cultures capable of reductive dechlorination, coordinated amendment with a fermentable organic substrate (e.g. lactate or vegetable oil), also known as biostimulation, creates reducing conditions in the aquifer and provides a source of hydrogen which is required as the primary electron donor for reductive dechlorination.
 
 
 
A 2016 field demonstration of ''in situ'' bioremediation (ISB) was performed in California’s Central Valley at a former agricultural chemical site with relatively low TCP concentrations (2 µg/L). The site was first biostimulated by injecting amendments of emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) and lactate, which was followed by bioaugmentation with a microbial consortium containing Dhg. After an initial lag period of six months, TCP concentrations decreased to below laboratory detection limits (<0.005 µg/L)<ref name="Schmitt2017"/>.
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:10px;text-align:center;"
 
|+Table 2.  Advantages and limitations of TCP treatment technologies<ref name="Kane2020"/>
 
|-
 
! Technology
 
! Advantages
 
! Limitations
 
|-
 
| ZVZ
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
* Faster reaction rates than ZVI
 
* Material is commercially available
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Higher cost than ZVI
 
* Difficult to distribute in subsurface ''in situ'' applications
 
|-
 
| Groundwater</br>Extraction and</br>Treatment
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Can cost-effectively capture and treat larger, more dilute</br>groundwater plumes than ''in situ'' technologies
 
* Well understood and widely applied technology
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Requires construction, operation and maintenance of</br>aboveground treatment infrastructure
 
* Typical technologies (e.g. GAC) may be expensive due</br>to treatment inefficiencies
 
|-
 
| ZVI
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
* Lower cost than ZVZ
 
* Material is commercially available
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Lower reactivity than ZVZ, therefore may require higher</br>ZVI volumes or thicker PRBs
 
* Difficult to distribute in subsurface ''in situ'' applications
 
|-
 
| ISCO
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
* Strategies to distribute amendments ''in situ'' are well established
 
* Material is commercially available
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Most effective oxidants (e.g., base-activated or heat-activated</br>persulfate) are complex to implement
 
* Secondary water quality impacts (e.g., high pH, sulfate, </br>hexavalent chromium) may limit ability to implement
 
|-
 
| ''In Situ''</br>Bioremediation
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Can degrade TCP at moderate to high concentrations
 
* Strategies to distribute amendments ''in situ'' are well established
 
* Materials are commercially available and inexpensive
 
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
* Slower reaction rates than ZVZ or ISCO
 
|}
 
The 2016 field demonstration was expanded to full-scale treatment in 2018 with biostimulation and bioaugmentation occurring over several months. The initial TCP concentration in performance monitoring wells ranged from 0.008 to 1.7 µg/L. As with the field demonstration, a lag period of approximately 6 to 8 months was observed before TCP was degraded, after which concentrations declined over fifteen months to non-detectable levels (less than 0.005 µg/L). TCP degradation was associated with increases in Dhg population and propene concentration. Long term monitoring showed that TCP remained at non-detectable levels for at least three years following treatment implementation<ref name="Merrill2019"/>.
 
 
 
==Treatment Comparisons and Considerations==
 
When selecting a technology for TCP treatment, considerations include technical feasibility, ability to treat to regulated levels, potential secondary water quality impacts and relative costs. A comparison of some TCP treatment technologies is provided in Table 2.  
 
  
 
==Summary==
 
==Summary==
The relatively high toxicity of TCP has led to the development of health-based drinking water concentration values that are very low. TCP is sometimes present in groundwater and in public water systems at concentrations that exceed these health-based goals. While a handful of states have established MCLs for TCP, US federal regulatory determination is hindered by the lack of low-concentration occurrence data. Because TCP is persistent in groundwater and resistant to typical remediation methods (or costly to treat), specialized strategies may be needed to meet drinking-water-based treatment goals''In situ'' chemical reduction (ISCR) with zero valent zinc (ZVZ) and ''in situ'' bioremediation have been demonstrated to be effective for TCP remediation.
+
Clean substrate can be placed at the sediment-water interface for the purposes of reducing exposure to and risk from contaminants in the sediments. The cap can consist of simple materials such as sand designed to physically stabilize contaminated sediments and separate the benthic community from those contaminants or may include other materials designed to sequester contaminants even under adverse conditions including strong groundwater upwelling or highly mobile contaminants.  The surface of a cap may be designed of coarse material such as gravel or cobble to be stable under high flow events or designed to be more appropriate habitat for benthic and aquatic organismsAs a result of its flexibility, simplicity and low cost relative to its effectiveness, capping is one of the most prevalent remedial technologies for sediments.  
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 172: Line 74:
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
ATSDR Toxicological Profile: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/TP.asp?id=912&tid=186
 
 
EPA Technical Fact Sheet: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminant_tcp_january2014_final.pdf
 
 
Cal/EPA State Water Resources Control Board Groundwater Information Sheet: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/docs/coc_tcp123.pdf
 
 
California Water Boards Fact Sheet: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/123-tcp/123tcp_factsheet.pdf
 

Revision as of 19:28, 22 October 2021

Sediment Capping

Capping is an in situ remedial technology that involves placement of a clean substrate on the surface of contaminated sediments to reduce contaminant uptake by benthic organisms and contaminant flux to surface water. Simple sand caps can be effective in reducing exposure of benthic organisms and in limiting oxygen transport into the contaminated sediments, resulting in precipitation of metal sulfides. Amendments are sometimes included in caps to reduce cap permeability and groundwater upwelling, to increase contaminant sorption or biodegradation, or to improve habitat.

Related Article(s):

Contributor(s):

  • Danny Reible

Key Resource(s):

  • Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments[1]
  • Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments[2]

Introduction

Figure 1. Conceptual sketch of a cap configuration

Capping is an in situ remedial technology for contaminated sediments that involves placement of a clean substrate on the sediment surface. Capping contaminated sediments following dredging operations and capping of dredged material to stabilize contaminants has been a common practice by the United States Army Corps of Engineers since the 1970s. Beginning in the 1980s, in Japan and subsequently elsewhere, capping has been used more widely as a remedial approach to improve the quality of the bottom substrate and reduce contaminant exposures to benthic organisms and fish. The USEPA published a capping guidance document in 1998 that summarizes past uses of sediment capping and outlines its basic design[2]. Although capping technology has developed substantially in the past 20 years, this early reference still provides useful information on the approach and its applications. A more recent summary of capping is described in Reible 2014[1].

Capping serves to contain contaminated sediment solids, isolate contaminants from benthic organisms and reduce contaminant transport to the sediment surface and overlying water. The clean substrate may be an inert material such as sand, a natural sorbing material such as other sediments or clays, or be amended with an active/reactive material to enhance the isolation of the contaminants. Amendments to enhance contaminant isolation include permeability reduction agents to divert groundwater flow, sorbents to retard contaminant migration through the capping layer or provide greater accumulation capacity, or reagents to encourage degradation or transformation of the contaminants.

The basic concept of a cap is illustrated in Figure 1. The Figure also illustrates that a cap is often a thin layer or layers relative to water depth and generally causes little disturbance to the underlying sediments or body of water in which it is placed. Depending upon the erosive forces to which the cap may be subjected, the surface layer may be composed of relatively coarse material to withstand those erosive forces.

Although a cap is typically thin compared to the water depth, it generally must be thicker than the biologically active zone (BAZ) of the sediments. The biologically active zone is that zone in which benthic organisms live and interact with the sediment. Their activities tend to mix the BAZ (known as bioturbation) over the course of a few years and thus a cap that is thinner than the BAZ will tend to become intermixed with the underlying contaminated sediments. Processes other than bioturbation including diffusion, advection or groundwater upwelling, hyporheic exchange near the interface, biogenic gas production and migration and underlying sediment consolidation can all lead to contaminant migration into and through a cap. These occur at different rates and intensities and their assessment and evaluation ultimately governs the effectiveness of a cap and the feasibility of its use as a sediment remediation technology for a particular site.

In general, capping is an effective remedial technology for contaminants that are strongly associated with the sediment solids including hydrophobic organic compounds such as high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and DDTx, but also heavy metals. Hydrophobic organic compounds tend to strongly associate with the organic fraction of sediments so organic rich sediments or the addition of organic phases to the capping material can be very effective at containing these contaminants. Many of the common heavy metals of concern, including cadmium, copper, nickel, zinc, lead and mercury, tend to be associated with insoluble sulfides under strongly reducing conditions. Since oxygen penetration into a capping layer is typically limited to a few cm or less at the surface, a cap serves to drive the underlying contaminated sediment toward strongly reducing conditions and, particularly in marine and estuarine sediments, encourage sulfate reduction leading to the formation of these insoluble sulfides. The low solubility of these sulfides encourages retention by a capping layer and makes the cap extremely effective as a remedial approach for sediments with elevated concentrations of heavy metals.

A variety of tools have been developed to evaluate the processes leading to sorption and retardation of contaminants as well as processes leading to contaminant migration and release. The original references quantifying contaminant behavior in a sediment cap were explored in a series of papers in the early 1990s[3][4]. Since that time, design tools have been continuously improved. CapSim is a commonly used and current tool developed by Dr. Reible and collaborators. This tool can evaluate contaminant release from uncapped, capped, and treated sediments for purposes of design and evaluation. The model formulation and structure is described in Shen et al. 2018[5]. One common use of such a tool is to evaluate the effect of various cap materials and thicknesses on the performance of a cap.

Cap Design and Materials for Chemical Containment

An inert material such as sand can be effective as a capping material where contaminants are strongly associated with solids and where the operative site specific transport mechanisms do not lead to rapid contaminant migration through such a material. Additional contaminant containment can often be achieved through the placement of clean sediment, e.g. dredged material from a nearby location. Other materials as cap layers or amendments may be useful to address particularly mobile contaminants or when particular degradative mechanisms can be exploited. The Anacostia River was the site of a demonstration that first tested “active” or “amended” capping in the field[6][7]. Amended caps are often the best option when groundwater upwelling or other advective processes promote significant mobility of contaminants and the addition of sorbents can slow that contaminant migration[8]. Although a variety of materials have been proposed for sediment caps, a far smaller number of options have been successfully employed in the field.

Metals migration is very site dependent due to the potential for many metals to complex with other species in the interstitial water and the specific metal speciation present at a site. Often, the strongly reducing environment beneath a cap renders many common metals unavailable through the formation of metal sulfides. In such cases, a simple sand cap can be very effective. Amended caps to manage metal contaminated sediments may be advantageous when site specific conditions lead to elevated metals mobility, but should be supported with site specific testing[9].

For hydrophobic organic contaminants, cap amendments that directly control groundwater upwelling and also sorbents that can remove migrating contaminants from that groundwater have been successfully employed. Examples include clay materials such as AquaBlok® for permeability control, sorbents such as activated carbon for truly dissolved contaminants, and organophilic clays for separate phase contaminants.

The placement of clean sediment as an in situ cap can be difficult when the material is fine grained or has a low density. Capping with a layer of coarse grained material such as clean sand mitigates this issue although clean sands have minimal sorption capacity. Because of this limitation, sand caps may not be sufficient for achieving remedial goals in sites where contamination levels are high or transport rates are fast due to pore water upwelling or tidal pumping effects. Conditions such as these may require the use of “active” amendments to reduce transport rates.

Capping with clean sand provides a physical barrier between the underlying contaminated material and the overlying water, stabilizes the underlying sediment to prevent re-suspension of contaminated particles, and can reduce chemical exposure under certain conditions. Sand primarily provides a passive barrier to the downward penetration of bioturbating organisms and the upward movement of sediment or contaminants. Although conventional sandy caps can often be an effective means of managing contaminated sediments, there are conditions when sand caps may not be capable of achieving design objectives. Some factors that reduce the effectiveness of sand caps include:

  • erosion and loss of cap integrity
  • high groundwater upwelling rates
  • mobile (low sorption) contaminants of concern (COCs)
  • high COC concentrations
  • unusually toxic COCs
  • the presence of tidal influences
  • the presence of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs)
  • high rates of gas ebullition

Of these, the first three are common limitations to capping and often control the ability to effectively design and implement a cap as a sediment remedial strategy. In these cases, it may be possible to offset these issues by increasing the thickness of the cap. However, the required thickness can reach infeasible levels in shallow streams or navigable water bodies. In addition, increased construction costs associated with thick caps may become prohibitive. As a result of these issues, caps that use alternative materials (also known as active caps) to reduce the thickness or increase the protectiveness of a cap may be necessary. The materials in active caps are designed to interact with the COCs to enhance the containment properties of the cap.

Apatites are a class of naturally occurring minerals that have been investigated as a sorbent for metals in soils and sediments[10][6][11]. Apatites consist of a matrix of calcium phosphate and various other common anions, including fluoride, chloride, hydroxide, and occasionally carbonate. Metals are sequestered either through direct ion exchange with the calcium atom or dissolution of hydroxyapatite followed by precipitation of lead apatite. Zeolites, which are microporous aluminosilicate minerals with a high cationic exchange capacity (CEC), have also been proposed to manage metal species[12].

It is possible to create a hydrophobic, sorbing layer for non-polar organics by exchanging a cationic surfactant onto the surface of clays such as zeolites and bentonites,. Organoclay is a modified bentonite containing such substitutions that has been evaluated for control of non-aqueous phase NAPLs and other organic contaminants[13]. An organoclay cap has been implemented for sediment remediation at the McCormick and Baxter site in Portland, OR[14]. A similar organic sorbing phase can be formed by treating zeolites with surfactants but this approach has not been reported for contaminated sediments.

Activated carbon is a strong sorbent of hydrophobic organic compounds and has been used as a treatment for sediments or as an active sorbent within a capping layer[15][16][17][18][19]. Placement of activated carbon for sediment capping is difficult due to the near neutral buoyancy of the material but it has been applied in this manner in relatively low energy environments such as Onondaga Lake, Syracuse, NY[20]. Alternatives in higher energy environments include placement of activated carbon in a mat such as the CETCO Reactive Core Mat (RCM)® or Huesker Tektoseal®, or as a composite material such as SediMite® or AquaGate®. In the case of the mats, powdered or granular activated carbon can be placed in a controlled layer while the density of the composite materials is such that they can be broadcast from the surface and allowed to settle to the bottom. In a sediment treatment application, the composite material would either be worked into the surface or allowed to intermix gradually by bioturbation and other processes. In a capping application, the mat or composite material would typically be combined or overlain with a sand or other capping layer to keep it in place and to provide a chemical isolation layer away from the sediment surface.

As an alternative to a sorptive capping amendment, low-permeability cap amendments have been proposed to enhance cap design life by decreasing pore water advection. Low permeability clays are an effective means to divert upwelling groundwater away from a contaminated sediment area but are difficult to place in the aqueous environment. Bentonite clays can be placed in mats similar to what is done to provide a low permeability liner in landfills. There are also commercial products that can place clays directly such as the composite material AquaBlok®, a bentonite clay and polymer based mineral around an aggregate core[21].

Sediment caps become colonized by microorganisms from the sediments and surface water and potentially become a zone of pollutant biotransformation over time. Aerobic degradation occurs only near the solids-water interface in which benthic organisms are active and thus there might still be significant benthic organism exposure to contaminants. Biotransformation in the anaerobic zone of a cap, which typically extends well beyond the zone of benthic activity, could significantly reduce the risk of pollutant exposure but successful caps encouraging deep degradation processes have not been demonstrated beyond the laboratory. The addition of materials such as nutrients and oxygen releasing compounds for enhancing the attenuation of contaminants through biodegradation has also been assessed but not applied in the field. Short term improvements in biodegradation rates can be achieved through tailoring of conditions or addition of nutrients but long term efficacy has not been demonstrated[22].

Figure 2. A conceptualization of a cap with accompanying habitat layer

Cap Design and Materials for Habitat Restoration

In addition to providing chemical isolation and containment, a cap can also be used to provide improvements for organisms by enhancing the habitat characteristics of the bottom substrate[23][24][20]. Often, contaminated sediment environments are degraded for a variety of reasons in addition to the toxic constituents. One way to overcome this is to provide both a habitat layer and chemical isolation or contaminant capping layer. Figure 2 illustrates just such a design providing a more appropriate habitat enhancing substrate, in this case by incorporation additional organic material, vegetation and debris, which is often used by fish species for protection, into the surface layer. In a high energy environment, it should be recognized that it may not be possible to keep a suitable habitat layer in place during high flow events. This would be true of suitable habitat that had developed naturally as well as a constructed habitat layer and it is presumed that if such a habitat is the normal condition of the waterbody that it will recover over time between such high flow events.

Summary

Clean substrate can be placed at the sediment-water interface for the purposes of reducing exposure to and risk from contaminants in the sediments. The cap can consist of simple materials such as sand designed to physically stabilize contaminated sediments and separate the benthic community from those contaminants or may include other materials designed to sequester contaminants even under adverse conditions including strong groundwater upwelling or highly mobile contaminants. The surface of a cap may be designed of coarse material such as gravel or cobble to be stable under high flow events or designed to be more appropriate habitat for benthic and aquatic organisms. As a result of its flexibility, simplicity and low cost relative to its effectiveness, capping is one of the most prevalent remedial technologies for sediments.

References

  1. ^ 1.0 1.1 Reible, D. D., Editor, 2014. Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Springer, New York, NY. 462 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4614-6725-0
  2. ^ 2.0 2.1 Palermo, M., Maynord, S., Miller, J. and Reible, D., 1998. Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments. Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Program, Great Lakes National Program Office, US EPA 905-B96-004. 147 pp. Report.pdf
  3. ^ Wang, X.Q., Thibodeaux, L.J., Valsaraj, K.T. and Reible, D.D., 1991. Efficiency of Capping Contaminated Bed Sediments in Situ. 1. Laboratory-Scale Experiments on Diffusion-Adsorption in the Capping Layer. Environmental Science and Technology, 25(9), pp.1578-1584. DOI: 10.1021/es00021a008
  4. ^ Thoma, G.J., Reible, D.D., Valsaraj, K.T. and Thibodeaux, L.J., 1993. Efficiency of Capping Contaminated Bed Sediments in Situ 2. Mathematics of Diffusion-Adsorption in the Capping Layer. Environmental Science and Technology, 27(12), pp.2412-2419. DOI: 10.1021/es00048a015
  5. ^ Shen, X., Lampert, D., Ogle, S. and Reible, D., 2018. A software tool for simulating contaminant transport and remedial effectiveness in sediment environments. Environmental Modelling and Software, 109, pp. 104-113. DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2018.08.014
  6. ^ 6.0 6.1 Reible, D., Constant, D.W., Roberts, K. and Zhu, Y., 2003. Active capping demonstration project in anacostia DC. In Second International Conference on the Remediation of Contaminated Sediments: October. Free download available from: ResearchGate
  7. ^ Reible, D., Lampert, D., Constant, D., Mutch Jr, R.D. and Zhu, Y., 2006. Active Capping Demonstration in the Anacostia River, Washington, DC. Remediation Journal: The Journal of Environmental Cleanup Costs, Technologies and Techniques, 17(1), pp. 39-53. DOI: 10.1002/rem.20111 Free download available from: Academia.edu
  8. ^ Ghosh, U., Luthy, R.G., Cornelissen, G., Werner, D. and Menzie, C.A., 2011. In-situ Sorbent Amendments: A New Direction in Contaminated Sediment Management. Environmental Science and Technology, 45(4), pp. 1163-1168. DOI: 10.1021/es102694h Open access article from: American Chemical Society   Report.pdf
  9. ^ Viana, P.Z., Yin, K. and Rockne, K.J., 2008. Modeling Active Capping Efficacy. 1. Metal and Organometal Contaminated Sediment Remediation. Environmental Science and Technology, 42(23), pp. 8922-8929. DOI: 10.1021/es800942t
  10. ^ Melton, J.S., Crannell, B.S., Eighmy, T.T., Wilson, C. and Reible, D.D., 2003. Field Trial of the UNH Phosphate-Based Reactive Barrier Capping System for the Anacostia River. EPA Grant R819165-01-0
  11. ^ Knox, A.S., Paller, M.H. and Roberts, J., 2012. Active Capping Technology—New Approaches for In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Remediation Journal, 22(2), pp.93-117. DOI: 10.1002/rem.21313 Free download available from: ResearchGate
  12. ^ Zhan, Y., Yu, Y., Lin, J., Wu, X., Wang, Y. and Zhao, Y., 2019. Simultaneous control of nitrogen and phosphorus release from sediments using iron-modified zeolite as capping and amendment materials. Journal of Environmental Management, 249, p.109369. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109369
  13. ^ Reible, D.D., Lu, X., Moretti, L., Galjour, J. and Ma, X., 2007. Organoclays for the capping of contaminated sediments. AIChE Annual Meeting. ISBN: 978-081691022-9
  14. ^ Parrett, K. and Blishke, H., 2005. 23-Acre Multilayer Sediment Cap in Dynamic Riverine Environment Using Organoclay an Adsorptive Capping Material. Presentation to Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), 26th Annual Meeting.
  15. ^ Zimmerman, J.R., Ghosh, U., Millward, R.N., Bridges, T.S. and Luthy, R.G., 2004. Addition of Carbon Sorbents to Reduce PCB and PAH Bioavailability in Marine Sediments: Physicochemical Tests. Environmental Science and Technology, 38(20), pp. 5458-5464. DOI: 10.1021/es034992v
  16. ^ Werner, D., Higgins, C.P. and Luthy, R.G., 2005. The sequestration of PCBs in Lake Hartwell sediment with activated carbon. Water Research, 39(10), pp. 2105-2113. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2005.03.019
  17. ^ Abel, S. and Akkanen, J., 2018. A Combined Field and Laboratory Study on Activated Carbon-Based Thin Layer Capping in a PCB-Contaminated Boreal Lake. Environmental Science and Technology, 52(8), pp. 4702-4710. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b05114 Open access article available from: American Chemical Society   Report.pdf
  18. ^ Payne, R.B., Ghosh, U., May, H.D., Marshall, C.W. and Sowers, K.R., 2019. A Pilot-Scale Field Study: In Situ Treatment of PCB-Impacted Sediments with Bioamended Activated Carbon. Environmental Science and Technology, 53(5), pp. 2626-2634. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05019
  19. ^ Yan, S., Rakowska, M., Shen, X., Himmer, T., Irvine, C., Zajac-Fay, R., Eby, J., Janda, D., Ohannessian, S. and Reible, D.D., 2020. Bioavailability Assessment in Activated Carbon Treated Coastal Sediment with In situ and Ex situ Porewater Measurements. Water Research, 185, p. 116259. DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116259
  20. ^ 20.0 20.1 Vlassopoulos, D., Russell, K., Larosa, P., Brown, R., Mohan, R., Glaza, E., Drachenberg, T., Reible, D., Hague, W., McAuliffe, J. and Miller, S., 2017. Evaluation, Design, and Construction of Amended Reactive Caps to Restore Onondaga Lake, Syracuse, New York, USA. Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering, 10(1), pp. 13-27. Free download available from: ResearchGate
  21. ^ Barth, E.F., Reible, D. and Bullard, A., 2008. Evaluation of the physical stability, groundwater seepage control, and faunal changes associated with an AquaBlok® sediment cap. Remediation: The Journal of Environmental Cleanup Costs, Technologies and Techniques, 18(4), pp.63-70. DOI: 10.1002/rem.20183
  22. ^ Pagnozzi, G., Carroll, S., Reible, D.D. and Millerick, K., 2020. Biological Natural Attenuation and Contaminant Oxidation in Sediment Caps: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities. Current Pollution Reports, pp.1-14. DOI: 10.1007/s40726-020-00153-5
  23. ^ Yozzo, D.J., Wilber, P. and Will, R.J., 2004. Beneficial use of dredged material for habitat creation, enhancement, and restoration in New York–New Jersey Harbor. Journal of Environmental Management, 73(1), pp. 39-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.05.008
  24. ^ Zhang, C., Zhu, M.Y., Zeng, G.M., Yu, Z.G., Cui, F., Yang, Z.Z. and Shen, L.Q., 2016. Active capping technology: a new environmental remediation of contaminated sediment. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(5), pp.4370-4386. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6076-8

See Also