Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) of flammable organic chemicals in radioactive high-level supernatant waste at the Savannah River Site (SRS).

The Savannah River Site stores approximately 36 million gallons of radioactive and hazardous waste that contains approximately 245 million curies. The waste is sent through various chemical processes to reduce its volume and to separate various components. The facility plans to replace formic acid (a chemical used to reduce soluble mercury) with glycolic acid. Recycle solution with glycolate may flow back to the tank farm, where the glycolate can generate hydrogen gas by thermal and radiolytic mechanisms. The current analytical method for detecting glycolate (ion chromatography) in supernatant requires a large dilution to reduce interference from the nitrate anions. Hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance is an analytical method that requires less sample dilution. It takes advantage of the CH2 group in glycolate. Liquid samples were spiked with four different levels of glycolate to build a calibration line, as it is recommended in the standard addition method. The detection and quantitation limits determined were 1 and 5 ppm, respectively, for 32 scans, which is well below the process limit of 10 ppm. In one test, 800 scans of a supernatant spiked with 1 ppm glycolate resulted in a -CH2 peak with a signal-to-noise ratio of 36.

Legacy Contaminants in Aquatic Biota in a Stream Associated with Nuclear Weapons Material Production on the Savannah River Site.

Former nuclear weapons material production at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) has resulted in contamination of certain terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems on site with legacy wastes such as radiocesium (137Cs), tritium (3H), and metals. We collected fish and invertebrates from five beaver ponds (sites) above, adjacent, and downgradient of three SRS facilities (H-, F-, and C-Areas) to evaluate whether the accumulation of metals and radionuclides in biota were associated with specific facility operations and if the measured levels could pose risks to aquatic organisms. We compared concentrations of various metals, 137Cs, and 3H in fish, as well as in water (3H only), among sites along the stream gradient. Fish collected from sites adjacent to H-Area had significantly higher 137Cs concentrations compared to fish from other sites. Both biota and water samples indicated significantly greater levels of 3H in sites adjacent to and downstream of C-Area. Concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and mercury (Hg) in some samples exceeded effects levels reported for fish and may pose a risk to fish populations. This study reported fish tissue concentrations of 137Cs and 3H, which have not been documented extensively in ecotoxicological studies. Our results suggested that industrial operations such as nuclear material production at SRS could have long-lasting impact on the aquatic ecosystem via the release of radionuclides and metals, and long-term monitoring of physiological effects and population level impact in biota exposed to these contaminants are recommended.

Bench-scale evaluation of aerosol delivery for biostimulation and bioaugmentation in the vadose zone.

Aerosol delivery was evaluated for distributing biostimulation and bioaugmentation amendments in vadose zones. This technique involves transporting amendments as micron-scale aerosol droplets in injected gas. Microcosm experiments were designed to characterize reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) under unsaturated conditions when delivering components as aerosols. Delivering amendments and/or microbes as aqueous aerosols resulted in complete dechlorination of TCE, similar to controls operated under saturated conditions. Reductive dechlorination was achieved with manual injection of a bioaugmentation culture suspended in soybean oil into microcosms. However, aerosol delivery of the culture in soybean oil induced little reductive dechlorination activity. Overall, the results indicate that delivery as aqueous aerosols may be a viable option for delivery of amendments to enhance vadose zone bioremediation at the field-scale.

Comparing and contrasting In-Vial and full-scale systems for sparging volatile analytes.

In-vial sparging was demonstrated as an effective, practical alternative to a full-scale sparging system for supporting the analysis of volatile constituents. Using elemental mercury (Hg0) and toluene as representative purgeable analytes, the mass removal for various sparge configurations was measured and a reduced order model was developed and validated. In the primary experiments, Hg0 in the sparge gas was trapped on activated carbon or gold, thermally desorbed, and quantified using atomic absorption or atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. Toluene experiments using the same in-vial sparge apparatus and sparge parameters were performed to demonstrate the applicability of the reduced order model to a broad range of compounds. Toluene removal was tracked by measuring the remaining toluene in sparged aliquots using Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. For the sparging, flow rates varied from 25 to 75 mL/min for periods from 0 to 30 min. Sparge performance, mass removal as a function of time, and sparge gas volume were measured for both in-vial and full-scale systems. A model based on dimensionless Henry's Law coefficient, normalized sparge gas volume, and fractional extent of equilibrium matched the experimental data for both compounds and provides a practical tool for future applications. For the conditions tested in this study, the calibrated model indicated that the sparge gas in the in-vial system reached approximately 33% of its equilibrium value before exiting the water surface, while a full-scale system reached approximately 100%. The tests validated the quality, reproducibility, and predictability of sparging performance for both full scale and in-vial sparge systems. Related factors such as waste generation, worker risk, and labor were also assessed. Full scale sparge systems provide the advantage of lower detection levels due to larger sample volume, while the in-vial sparge systems provide advantages for most other factors; including automatability, reducing secondary wastes, lessening the need to clean and check the sparge apparatus, and lowering labor and costs. The data and associated reduced order model support continued development and deployment of in-vial sparge platforms as a practical option for analysis of purgeable analytes such as volatile organic compounds and volatile metals/organometallics.

Impact of matrix diffusion on the migration of groundwater plumes for Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and other non-degradable compounds.

Groundwater fate and transport modeling results demonstrate that matrix diffusion plays a role in attenuating the expansion of groundwater plumes of "non-degrading" or highly recalcitrant compounds. This is especially significant for systems where preferred destructive attenuation processes, such as biological and abiotic degradation, are weak or ineffective for plume control. Under these conditions, models of nondestructive physical attenuation processes, traditionally dispersion or sorption, do not demonstrate sufficient plume control unless matrix diffusion is considered. Matrix diffusion has been shown to be a notable emergent impact of geological heterogeneity, typically associated with back diffusion and extending remediation timeframes through concentration tailing of the trailing edge of a plume. However, less attention has been placed on evaluating how matrix diffusion can serve as an attenuation mechanism for the leading edge of a plume of non-degrading compounds like perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In this study, the REMChlor-MD model was parametrically applied to a generic unconsolidated and heterogeneous geologic site with a constant PFOS source and no degradation of PFOS in the downgradient edge of the plume. Low levels of mechanical dispersion and retardation were used in the model for three different geologic heterogeneity cases ranging from no matrix diffusion (e.g., sand only) to considerable matrix diffusion using low permeability ("low-k") layers/lenses and/or aquitards. Our analysis shows that, in theory, many non-degrading plumes may expand for significant time periods before dispersion alone would eventually stabilize the plume; however, matrix diffusion can significantly slow the rate and degree of this migration. For one 100-year travel time scenario, consideration of matrix diffusion results in a simulated PFOS plume length that is over 80% shorter than the plume length simulated without matrix diffusion. Although many non-degrading plumes may continue to slowly expand over time, matrix diffusion resulted in lower concentrations and smaller plume footprints. Modeling multiple hydrogeologic settings showed that the effect of matrix diffusion is more significant in transmissive zones containing multiple low-k lenses/layers than transmissive zones underlain and overlain by low-k aquitards. This study found that at sites with significant matrix diffusion, groundwater plumes will be shorter, will expand more slowly, and may be amenable to a physical, retention-based, Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) paradigm. In this case, a small "Plume Assimilative Capacity Zone" in front of the existing plume could be reserved for slow, de minimus, future expansion of a non-degrading plume. If potential receptors are protected in this scenario, then this approach is similar to allowances for expanding plumes under some existing environmental regulatory programs. Accounting for matrix diffusion may support new strategic approaches and alternative paradigms for remediation even for sites and conditions with "non-degrading" constituents such as PFAAs, metals/metalloids, and radionuclides.

The effects of a stannous chloride-based water treatment system in a mercury contaminated stream.

We assessed the impacts of an innovative Hg water treatment system on a small, industrially-contaminated stream in the southeastern United States. The treatment system, installed in 2007, removes Hg from wastewater using tin (Sn) (II) chloride followed by air stripping. Mercury concentrations in the receiving stream, Tims Branch, decreased from >100 to ∼10 ng/L in the four years following treatment, and Hg body burdens in redfin pickerel (Esox americanus) decreased by 70% at the most contaminated site. Tin concentrations in water and fish increased significantly in the tributary leading to Tims Branch, but concentrations remain below levels of concern for human health or ecological risks. While other studies have shown that Sn may be environmentally methylated and methyltin can transfer its methyl group to Hg, results from our field studies and sediment incubation experiments suggest that the added Sn to the Tims Branch watershed is not contributing to methylmercury (MeHg) production or bioaccumulation in this system. The stannous chloride treatment system installed at Tims Branch was effective at removing Hg inputs and reducing Hg bioaccumulation in the stream, but future studies are needed to assess longer term impacts of Sn on the environment.

Contaminant plume classification system based on mass discharge.

Estimation of mass discharge has become an increasingly valuable analysis technique at sites with contaminated groundwater plumes. We propose a simple plume magnitude classification system based on mass discharge comprised of 10 separate magnitude categories, such as a "Mag 7 plume." This system can be a useful tool for scientists, engineers, regulators, and stakeholders to better communicate site conceptual models, prioritize sites, evaluate plumes both spatially and temporally, and determine potential impacts.