Assessing the performance of an activated carbon sediment amendment to remediate contamination at a site located in Sinclair Inlet, Puget Sound, WA
Presentation Abstract
The performance of an activated carbon sediment amendment was assessed after intervals of approximately one, two and three years after placement to document physical, geochemical, and biological conditions using autonomous benthic chambers (Sediment Ecotoxicity Assessment (SEA) Rings), Sediment Profile Imaging (SPI) system, benthic infauna sampling, and geochemical analysis. In October 2012, the half-acre target area, located at the end of Pier 7 in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF) Bremerton, WA, was amended with powdered activated carbon (PAC) using the AquaGate+PAC™ composite aggregate to decrease the bioavailability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and other contaminants. Baseline monitoring was conducted in August 2012 and post-placement monitoring was conducted in August 2013, July 2014, and July 2015. For each monitoring event, ten SEA Rings were placed at the site to conduct 14-day in-situ bioassays using clams (Macoma nasuta) and polychaete worms (Nephtys caecoides), deploy solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) devices, and collect sediment samples. The SPI surveys were used to verify the presence and thickness of the amendment and infaunal community census was used to assess benthic conditions. Data from the study are still being processed, nevertheless tissue residues measured in clams and worms showed statistically significant reductions in Total PCBs which were reduced compared to baseline concentrations by 68-87% after 10 months, 82-89% after 22 months, and 95-97% after 33 months. Similarly, pore water concentrations of PCBs measured by SPME devices also decreased relative to baseline concentrations. The SPI surveys showed the amendment was effectively incorporated into bottom. Infaunal analysis showed gradual improvement and recovery of the benthic community following the initial disturbance from placement. Based on the available data, it appears that amendment has achieved the performance objectives and improved benthic community health at this active harbor site.
Session Title
General oceanography
Conference Track
Habitat
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Marine sediments--Washington (State)--Sinclair Inlet; Hazardous waste site remediation--Washington (State)--Sinclair Inlet; Benthic animals--Effect of contaminated sediments on--Washington (State)--Sinclair Inlet
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility
Geographic Coverage
Sinclair Inlet (Wash.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Assessing the performance of an activated carbon sediment amendment to remediate contamination at a site located in Sinclair Inlet, Puget Sound, WA
2016SSEC
The performance of an activated carbon sediment amendment was assessed after intervals of approximately one, two and three years after placement to document physical, geochemical, and biological conditions using autonomous benthic chambers (Sediment Ecotoxicity Assessment (SEA) Rings), Sediment Profile Imaging (SPI) system, benthic infauna sampling, and geochemical analysis. In October 2012, the half-acre target area, located at the end of Pier 7 in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF) Bremerton, WA, was amended with powdered activated carbon (PAC) using the AquaGate+PAC™ composite aggregate to decrease the bioavailability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, and other contaminants. Baseline monitoring was conducted in August 2012 and post-placement monitoring was conducted in August 2013, July 2014, and July 2015. For each monitoring event, ten SEA Rings were placed at the site to conduct 14-day in-situ bioassays using clams (Macoma nasuta) and polychaete worms (Nephtys caecoides), deploy solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) devices, and collect sediment samples. The SPI surveys were used to verify the presence and thickness of the amendment and infaunal community census was used to assess benthic conditions. Data from the study are still being processed, nevertheless tissue residues measured in clams and worms showed statistically significant reductions in Total PCBs which were reduced compared to baseline concentrations by 68-87% after 10 months, 82-89% after 22 months, and 95-97% after 33 months. Similarly, pore water concentrations of PCBs measured by SPME devices also decreased relative to baseline concentrations. The SPI surveys showed the amendment was effectively incorporated into bottom. Infaunal analysis showed gradual improvement and recovery of the benthic community following the initial disturbance from placement. Based on the available data, it appears that amendment has achieved the performance objectives and improved benthic community health at this active harbor site.
