Contaminated Marine Sediments Assessment and Remediation (1989) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
New Bedford Harbor Superfund Project
New Bedford Harbor Superfund Project
Pages 312-350
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From page 312... ...
The remainder of the site extends south from the Coggeshall Street Bridge through the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier and into Buzzards Bay as far as the southern limit of PCB Closure Zone 3. Geographic boundaries include the shoreline, wetlands, and peripheral upland areas.
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From page 313... ...
Portions of western Buzzards Bay sediments along the New Bedford shoreline south of the hurricane barrier are also contaminated, with concentrations occasionally exceeding 50 ppm. The water column in New Bedford Harbor has been measured to contain PCBs in the parts per billion (ppb)
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From page 314... ...
NEW sea90eo · f '~;~GrE'w'ATER _ .t . SMITH NECK : '.'( I SHAUM POINT FIGURE 1 New Bedford Harbor areas subj ect to PCB closures .
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From page 315... ...
The environmental impacts at the New Bedford Harbor site due to PCB and heavy metal contamination include both human health and effects on fishing in the area. The most probable link of PCBs to human intake is the consumption of contaminated fish and shell fish from the Acushnet River estuary.
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From page 316... ...
The first was designed to characterize sediment contaminant concentrations throughout the estuary and included · sediment cores on a 250-foot grid north of the Coggeshall Street Bridge (180 locations, Figure 2~; · 30 cores selected for testing at a 3-ft depth, plus other depths as required, that were analyzed for PCBs, metals, oil and grease, and physical tests; · 10 cores selected for the EPA hazardous substances list analyses. In addition, a more concentrated sampling program was conducted in the area of the highest concentrations of PCBs in sediments, the "hot spot." This program consisted of · sediment cores on a 150-ft grid, · 49 cores selected for testing at two depths, · five cores selected for testing at 36- and 48-in depths, and · 13 cores selected for physical testing.
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From page 318... ...
~ i' Hi_ , - ~cM ~ 4 7 ~P~CXIM4 - ' _~T'CN OF ` A,N'i P' .. -- 'NT Al.', IOCNrif'C~ ,CN Lute.: iSCALE ~ 0 2~000 ''; ._.\ ,.~ ''' - _~ -- - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .Ir, are ~ ~ 'A e loo 4.000 FEET FIGURE 3 Location map and sampling grid for New Bedford Harbor SOURCE: NUS Corp.
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From page 319... ...
tide, current, and drifter studies. Type of Sample Sediment Tissue Filtrate Particulate Pore water TOC Grain size POC TSS Number of samples 233 366 300 300 3 233 136 300 300 Concurrent with these sampling programs aimed at providing data for the overall New Bedford FS, EPA's Narragansett Laboratory conducted a sediment toxicity and characterization study to investigate the toxicity of New Bedford Harbor sediments on two amphipods, and the effects of contaminants -- including PCBs -- accumulated in sediments on sheepshead minnow reproduction.
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From page 320... ...
' : :\ , W ."N :,` '...N 1 7 s s ooo 7 6 0 000 ~ 765 000 , , f ~A /RHA V£W '>~ ti HURRICANE BARR IER 225000FIGURE 4 EPA Narragansett sediment sampling stations for New Bedford Harbor.
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From page 321... ...
... FIGURE 5 Toxicity of New Bedford Harbor sediments to the fish Cyprinadon variegates.
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From page 322... ...
in New Bedford Harbor sediments.
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From page 323... ...
Concentrations of total PCBs in sediments range from over 100,000 ppm in the Acushnet River to less than 10 ppm in outer New Bedford Harbor. Table 1 shows a range of organic compound concentrations in the Acushnet River and lower New Bedford Harbor.
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From page 324... ...
324 i 1 l l V ll ~ ~ ~ At: 1 ·—..
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From page 325... ...
r 1 , t" w i L , , , I I ~ ~ CM o CM ~ SOd lel°l 6/6 ~ o 1601 J En CM to CM CO Cal lo CO Cal CM Cal lo Cal Cal Cal o Cal o sol o 4 a, 3 a)
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From page 326... ...
326 TABLE 1 New Bedford Harbor Organic Compounds in Sediment Location Compound Concentration Acushnet River estuary phenol 2 methylphenol bis(2-ethylhexl~phthalate di-n-octyl phthalate di-n-butyl phthlate acenaphthene acenaphthylene anthracene benzokajanthracene benzo~b~fluoranthene benzokk~fluoranthene benzo~g,h,i~perylene benzota~pyrene chrysene dibenz~a,h~anthracene flouranthene flourene indenokl,2,3-cd~pyrene napthalene 2-methylnapthalene phenanthrene pyrene benzoic acid dibenzofuran 140 ppb 56 ppb 120-4,500 ppb 60 ppb 250 ppb 1,900 ppb 52 ppb 110-13,000 ppb 240-7,400 ppb 440-5,600 ppb 53 ppb 330-3,700 ppb 320-4,100 ppb 290-4,700 ppb 100-710 ppb 420-2,900 ppb 2,300 ppb 390-940 ppb 73-980 ppb 350 ppb 57-8,500 ppb 490-7,100 ppb 260 ppb 1.500 ppb Harbor/bay acetone 21-360 ppt 4 methyl-phenol 100-560 ppb bis(2-ethylhexyl~phthalate 75-4,400 ppb di-n-butylphthalate 1,200-1,100 ppb diethylphthalate 380-1,400 ppb acenaphthene 320 ppb acenaphthylene 180 ppb anthracene 230-270 ppb benzokajanthracene 87-2,600 ppb benzo~b~fluoranthene 580-1,100 ppb benzokk~fluoranthene 580-1,100 ppb benzo~g,h,i~perylene 1,300 ppb benzoka~pyrene 690 ppb chrysene 860-1,700 ppb fluoranthene 81-2,300 ppb fluorene 250 ppb indenokl,2,3-cd~pyrene 5S0-990 ppb napthalene 110-270 ppb 2-methylnapthalene 140 ppb phenanthrene 180-2,500 ppb pyrene 110-3,200 ppb benzoic acid 68-520 ppb
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From page 327... ...
Exposure dose levels were estimated for each exposure pathway and based on a variety of exposure conditions, including the mean and maximum contaminant levels detected in the various media. To provide realistic exposure concentrations for sediment and water, the New Bedford Harbor site was divided into three areas (Figure 9)
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From page 328... ...
dOnly one value available. · Area I, between the Wood Street Bridge and the Coggeshall Street Bridge; · Area II, between the hurricane barrier and the Coggeshall Street Bridge; and · Area III, south of the hurricane barrier.
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From page 329... ...
· , `%, .j ~ / —I R CC K / ? ~INT `NIL::UR ~ O I N T SCALE —\_~_ ~ 6,~ 12,000 F EET FIGURE 9 Areas for ecological risk assessment for New Bedford Harbo,
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From page 330... ...
Carcinogenic risk estimates were generated for subchronic, chronic, and lifetime exposure to PCBs for direct contact and ingestion of sediments, ingestion of biota, and inhalation of air. Ecological Risk Summary The ecological risk assessment for the New Bedford Harbor site examined the potential risks to marine biota from exposure to PCBs, cadmium, copper, and lead.
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From page 332... ...
Based on the results of the risk assessment, the response objectives for this site will likely consider methods to reduce PCB biota concentrations to levels considered protective of public health, and/or protective of aquatic life; reduce total PCB sediment concentrations in the Acushnet River estuary to levels considered protective of public health and/or protective of aquatic life; reduce total PCB sediment concentrations in the Acushnet River estuary to levels considered protective of public health and/or protective of aquatic life, and reduce total PCB sediment concentrations in New Bedford Harbor to levels considered protective of aquatic life; and · reduce water-column PCB and copper concentrations to below the AWQC in the Acushnet River estuary and New Bedford Harbor. REMEDIAL TECHNOLOGIES AND ALTERNATIVES Overview of the New Bedford Harbor FS Process The FS for New Bedford Harbor is being conducted under the EPA Superfund program.
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From page 333... ...
Removal technologies remove the PCBs and metals from the harbor bottom by removing the sediment where the contaminants are located. Treatment technologies destroy PCBs or render the PCBs and metals less toxic and/or less mobile by chemical or physical alteration.
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From page 334... ...
Initial Screening An initial screening of the identified technologies was conducted to reduce the number of technologies for further detailed analysis. Waste-specific and site-specific factors were used to assess the effectiveness, implementability, and cost of each technology identified for New Bedford Harbor.
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From page 335... ...
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From page 336... ...
· THERMAL INCINERATION SUPERCRITICAL WATER OXIDATION PHYSICAL SOLVENT EXTRACTION SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION SOLIDIFICATION VITRIFICATION CHEMICAL ALKALI METAL DECHLORINATION BIODEGRADATION (WATER) DEWATERING TREATMENT FIGURE 14 Technologies for detailed evaluation, New Bedford Harbor REMEDIAL TECIlNOLOGY 1 EFFECTIVENESS · RELIANT ITY · PUBES t~Al.Ttl · ENVIRONMENT IMPLEMENTAT10N · TECIBUCAI.
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From page 337... ...
The sediments were deposited in a shoreline CDF and in a CAD, both located in the immediate vicinity of the dredging operation. The results of this study are an important part of the New Bedford Harbor FS and will be used to determine · the effectiveness of the three dredges on contaminant removal and migration, and impacts on water quality; · the feasibility of disposing contaminated sediments in
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From page 338... ...
constitutes the upper Buzzards Bay portion of the New Bedford Harbor site. This area, extending from the hurricane barrier to an imaginary line between Mishaum Point, Negro Ledge, and Rock Point, contains isolated areas of PCBs in the range of 100 ppm and below.
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From page 339... ...
Detailed Evaluation of Alternatives The detailed evaluation of alternatives provides the basis for identifying a preferred alternative (selection of remedy) and preparing the proposed remedial action plan.
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From page 340... ...
340 In ¢ en So o 3 As a)
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From page 341... ...
This analysis, which will identify advantages and disadvantages of each alternative relative to one another, will assist EPA in selecting the preferred remedial alternative for each area. Alternatives from each area will also be combined to form remedial action scenarios for the overall New Bedford Harbor site.
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From page 342... ...
342 TABLE 5 Remedial Alternatives Effectiveness Evaluation Analysis Factor Analysis SHORT-TERM EFFECTIVENESS Time until protection is achieved Environmental Impacts Environmental Impacts LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS Magnitude of residual risk Adequacy of controls Time until effect of hot spot removal is seen in water column, sediment, and biota, and change in risk is achieved Hot spot containment construction, impact of release on water column, sediment, and biota Evaluation of mitigative measures Impact after application of mitigative measures Hot-spot dredging, no containment, impact of release of 0.6-1.5 kg PCBs per tidal cycle for 3-4 weeks through Coggeshall Street Bridge on water column, sediment, and biota and change in risk achieved Duration and impact of removal of hot spot to less than 10 ppm total PCB on estuary, harbor-bay on water column, sediment, and biota and changes in risk achieved Duration and impact of treated water discharge on estuary, harbor-bay, water column, sediment, and biota Evaluation of mitigative measures; hydraulic controls at Coggeshall Street Bridge, hurricane barrier closure, flood tide dredging, impact after application of mitigation measures Risk from residual PCBs after hot spot dredging, no containment Biota ingestion, direct contact water, sediment, exposure Risk from estuary, harbor-bay after hot spot dredging Biota ingestion, sediment, exposure direct contact water, _ , r _ _ Hydraulic controls at Coggeshall Street Bridge Hurricane barrier closure Flood tide dredging
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From page 343... ...
Siting of Handling, Treatment, and Disposal Facilities Alternative sites are generally of two types: off-site beyond the confines of the Acushnet River Estuary and New Bedford Harbor, or onsite within the confines of the Acushnet River and New Bedford Harbor. EPA's National Contingency Plan (40 CFR 300.68(f)
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From page 344... ...
NUS has conducted the major disposal site studies completed to date. During the process of conducting the 1984 fast-track FS for cleanup of PCB-contaminated sediments in the Acushnet River Estuary, NUS completed an interim report titled "Initial Evaluation of Potential Disposal Sites for Contaminated Dredged Materials" (June 1984~.
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From page 346... ...
At monthly progress meetings, representatives of state agencies involved in regulatory review of the FS, a city of New Bedford representative, and the Community Work Group receive progress updates and results and have the opportunity to comment to and question EPA, COE, and the contractors performing the FS. Also, as various parts of the FS are completed, EPA and its contractors present results to the members of the Community Work Group to enable them to discuss and comment on all phases of the work as it proceeds.
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From page 347... ...
ADDENDUM Completed Project Reports The following is a list of New Bedford Harbor Superfund project reports that have been issued to date: Task 7. Draft Technical Review Report; Evaluation of the New Bedford Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewage System for PCB Discharges to the Acushnet River Estuary, New Bedford Harbor and Buzzards Bay, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
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From page 348... ...
24. Final Draft Initial Screening Report: Non-removal and Removal Technologies, November 1987.
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From page 349... ...
Task 52: Technical Review Report of Comments to the NUS Report, Draft Feasibility Study of Remedial Action Alternatives, Acushnet River Estuary above Coggeshall Street Bridge, New Bedford Harbor, Bristol
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From page 350... ...
C Jordan/Ebasco Services Incorporated.
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