Site Characterization, Monitoring, and Modeling Research

1. Site Characterization, Monitoring, and Modeling Research National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development October 9, 2002

2. Mission and Strategy – NERL • Mission: Develop, evaluate, apply, and integrate exposure methods, measurements, data bases, and models to reduce uncertainty for exposure assessment, risk assessment, and risk management. • Waste Thrust Areas: • Superfund – site characterization, demonstration, and technical support • Oil Spills – oil and dispersant fate and transport modeling • LUST – fate and transport modeling • RCRA – multimedia, multipathway exposure and risk assessment models

3. Characterization & Monitoring Branch • Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) • FY02/3 Hg Analyzers in Soil • Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) • FY96 FP-XRF Analyzers • Technology Support Center • By Region/Program Office request • Groundwater Research • Improve sampling and samplers

4. Speciation analysis • Environmental Chemistry Branch develops, applies, and transfers to EPA Regions and other clients practical speciation methods. • Chemical form (species) of many contaminants from hard-rock mining (e.g., As, Se, Cr, Sn, Hg) determine mobility, availability, and toxicity. • Accurate risk assessments and cost-effective remediation/mitigation approaches result from characterizing individual species instead of total metals. • Contact: Ed Heithmar, (702) 798-2626

5. Immunoassay and Biosensor Research • Disposable electrode for the determination of hexavalent chromium • ~ $1 for the electrode • Concern is expensive lab-based instrument attached to electrode • Goal is to get field unit to work with electrode • Contact: Kim Rogers, (702)-798-2299

6. Environmental Impact Study of Mountaintop Mining and Valley Fill Operations in West Virginia • Inter-Agency study initiated in 1999 • EPA, Army COE, OSM, FWS, WVDEP • Region III initiated the aquatic impacts study to support the overall EIS • Aquatic impacts study objectives: • Is the biological condition of streams in areas with MTM/VF operations degraded compared to the condition of streams in un-mined areas? • Are there “additive” biological impacts in streams where multiple fills are located?

7. Environmental Impact Study of Mountaintop Mining and Valley Fill Operations in West Virginia • ORD/NERL Involvement • Assembled database of Region III, Penn State and mining company data • Analyzed fish and macroinvertebrate data separately to address study objectives • Provided briefing on study conclusions to ORD AA, EIS Steering Committee and Region III • Provide report to EIS steering committee for inclusion in the overall EIS (October 2002) • Contact Florence Fulk, (513) 569-7379

8. Mining Related Projects – EERD • Toxicity Testing (water and sediment), Molecular methods (Gene Expression – Metallothione), Fish Tissue and Bioassessment Approaches to assessing Mine Impacts on Receiving Streams – SITE Projects – Clear Creek, CO, Rio Tinto, NV. • Toxicity Testing – Assessment of Mine Waste Technology Projects and SITE Projects– 5 Mines in MT, Summitville CO. • NERL Representative on National Mining Team. • Contact: Jim Lazorchak, (513) 569-7076

9. Mining Related Projects – EERD • U.S. EPA Hardrock Mining 2002 Conference, Westminster, Colorado, May 7 - 9, 2002 • Presentations: • http://www.epa.gov/nerleerd/recentpres.htm • Relationships Between Exceedences of Metals Criteria and Community Metrics in Mining Impacted Streams by Griffith, MB, Lazorchak, JM, and Herlihy, AT • Toxicity Approaches to Assessing Mining Impacts and Minewaste TreatmentEffectiveness by Lazorchak, JM, Smith, ME, Bates, E, and Wilmoth, R

10. Mining Related Publications – EERD • Comparative application of indices of biotic integrity based on periphyton, macroinvertebrates, and fish to southern Rocky Mountain streams. 2002. Griffith, Hill, McCormick, Kaufmann, Herlihy, and Sele. 2002. J North Ameri. Benthol Soc. In Prep. • Relationships between exceedences of metals criteria and community metrics in mining impacted streams. 2002. Griffith, Lazorchak, and Herlihy. J Environ. Tox. Chem. In Prep. • Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis 7-day Survival and Growth Test Method 2003. Lazorchak, Smith, • Multivariate analyses of periphyton assemblages in relation to environmental gradients in Colorado Rocky Mountain Streams. Griffith, Hill,., Herlihy, .and Kaufman. 2002. J Phycology. Vol 38 83-95. • Analyses of macroinvertebrate assemblages in relation to environmental gradients in Rocky Mountain 2001 Griffith, Kaufman, Herlihy and Hill. Eco Appl. 11, 489 – 505. • The effects of elevated metals on benthic community metabolism in a Rocky Mountain stream. 1997 Hill, Lazorchak, McCormick & Willingham. Environmental Pollution 95, 183-190. • Mining impacts on fish assemblages in the Eagle and Arkansas Rivers, Colorado. 1994. Mccormick, F, Hill, B., Parrish, L, Willingham, W. Region 8 – Denver. J Freshwater Eco. Vol 9, pgs 175 – 179.

11. Modeling Research • Site-specific version of the original HWIR (Hazardous Waste Identification Rule) version of the 3MRA (Multimedia, Multi-pathway, Multi-receptor Risk Assessment) modeling system. • The new version will allow convenient input of site-specific parameter information for a variety of applications, some of which are those common to mine sites. Will also include an automated front end that inserts data from the 200 sites we use in the HWIR national problem to do the Monte Carlo mode outcome distributions. • Could be done this FY depending on results of an SAB review of the modeling system. • Contact: Dave Brown, ERD-Athens, (706) 355-8300

12. For Further Information Contact: • Jane Denne, Acting Assistant Laboratory Director for Waste, (702) 798-2655, denne.jane@epa.gov • Brian Schumacher, Chief of the Characterization and Monitoring Branch, (702) 798-2242 • Ed Heithmar, Acting Chief of the Environmental Chemistry Branch, (702) 798-2626 • Kim Rogers, Acting Chief of the Exposure & Dose Research Branch, (702) 798-2299 • Don Garofalo, EPIC, (703) 648-4285 • Florence Fulk, EERD-Cincinnati, (513) 569-7379 • Jim Lazorchak, EERD-Cincinnati, (513) 569-7076 • Dave Brown, Chief of the Regulatory Support Branch, (706) 355-8300 or Jim Weaver, (706) 355-8329