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| − | ==Contaminated Sediment Risk Assessment== | + | ==Thermal In Situ Sustainable Remediation to Enhance Biotic and Abiotic Reactions and Accelerate Remediation Timeframes== |
| − | [[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction | Contaminated sediments]] in rivers and streams, lakes, coastal harbors, and estuaries have the potential to pose ecological and human health risks. The goals of risk assessment applied to contaminated sediments are to characterize the nature and magnitude of the current and potential threats to human health, wildlife and ecosystem functioning posed by contamination; identify the key factors contributing to the potential health and ecological risks; evaluate how implementation of one or more remedy actions will mitigate the risks in the short and long term; and evaluate the risks and impacts from sediment management, both during and after any dredging or other remedy construction activities.
| + | Thermal In Situ Sustainable Remediation (TISR<sup>®</sup>; US Pat. Nos. 10,384,246 and 10,688,545) is a cost-effective and adaptable low temperature thermal remediation technology that accelerates contaminant treatment. It achieves this by enhancing biotic and abiotic contaminant degradation rates through a modest increase in subsurface temperature. TISR<sup>®</sup> is suitable for a wide range of hydrogeologic settings. It also offers reduced operational costs, a lower carbon footprint, and possibly shorter remedial timeframes than more conventional methods. |
| | <div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div> | | <div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div> |
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| | '''Related Article(s):''' | | '''Related Article(s):''' |
| − | *[[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction]]
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| − | *[[In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Sediments with Activated Carbon]]
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| − | *[[Sediment Capping]]
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| − | *[[Passive Sampling of Sediments]]
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| − | '''Contributor(s):'''
| + | *[[Thermal Remediation]] |
| − | *Richard J. Wenning
| + | *[[Thermal Remediation - Electrical Resistance Heating | Electrical Resistance Heating]] |
| − | *Sabine E. Apitz | + | *[[Thermal Conduction Heating (TCH)]] |
| | + | *[[Thermal Remediation - Combined Remedies | Combined Remedies]] |
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| − | '''Key Resource(s):''' | + | '''Contributors:''' Jonah Munholland, Julia Vidonish, and Craig Divine |
| − | * Contaminated Sediment Remediation Guidance for Hazardous Waste Sites<ref name="USEPA2005">United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2005. Contaminated Sediment Remediation Guidance for Hazardous Waste Sites. Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Washington, D.C. EPA-540-R-05-012. OSWER 9355.0-85. Free download from: [https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/174471.pdf USEPA] [[Media: EPA-540-R-05-012.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
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| − | * Principles for Environmental Risk Assessment of the Sediment Compartment<ref name="Tarazona2014">Tarazona, J.V., Versonnen, B., Janssen, C., De Laender, F., Vangheluwe, M. and Knight, D., 2014. Principles for Environmental Risk Assessment of the Sediment Compartment: Proceedings of the Topical Scientific Workshop. 7-8 May 2013. European Chemicals Agency, Helsinki. Document ECHA-14-R-13-EN. Free download from: [https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/22816050/environmental_risk_assessment_final_en.pdf/3515b685-6601-40ce-bd48-3f8d5332c0f8 European Chemicals Agency] [[Media: ECHA-14-R-13-EN.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> | + | '''Key Resources:''' |
| | + | *Thermal In Situ Sustainable Remediation to Enhance Biotic and Abiotic Reactions and Accelerate Remediation Timeframes, Final Report. ESTCP Project ER20-5028<ref>Divine, C., Munholland, J., Zardouzian, E., Justicia-Leon, S., Aspinall, J.V., Randhawa, D., Falta, R., Freedman, D., Becker, M., 2025. Thermal In Situ Sustainable Remediation to Enhance Biotic and Abiotic Reactions and Accelerate Remediation Timeframes, Final Report. Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), Project ER20-5028. [https://serdp-estcp.mil/projects/details/bab4bc87-b4bc-42df-ad0e-11ea0adf27dc/er20-5028-project-overview Project Website] [[Media: ER20-5028 FR DevineEtAl2025.pdf | Final Report.pdf]]</ref>. |
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| − | * Assessing and managing contaminated sediments: | + | *Advances in Low-Temperature Thermal Remediation. Munholland ''et al.'', 2024<ref name="MunhollandEtAl2024">Munholland, J, Rosso, D., Randhawa, D., Devine, C., Pennington, A., 2024. Advances in Low-Temperature Thermal Remediation. In: García-Rincón, J., Gatsios, E., Lenhard, R.J., Atekwana, E.A., Naidu, R. (eds), Advances in the Characterisation and Remediation of Sites Contaminated with Petroleum Hydrocarbons, Chapter 18 pp. 623-653. Environmental Contamination Remediation and Management series, Springer Nature. [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34447-3_18 doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-34447-3_18] [[Media: MunhollandEtAl2024.pdf | Open Access Chapter]]</ref>. |
| − | :: Part I, Developing an Effective Investigation and Risk Evaluation Strategy<ref name="Apitz2005a">Apitz, S.E., Davis, J.W., Finkelstein, K., Hohreiter, D.W., Hoke, R., Jensen, R.H., Jersak, J., Kirtay, V.J., Mack, E.E., Magar, V.S. and Moore, D., 2005. Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediments: Part I, Developing an Effective Investigation and Risk Evaluation Strategy. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 1(1), pp. 2-8. [https://doi.org/10.1897/IEAM_2004a-002.1 DOI: 10.1897/IEAM_2004a-002.1] Free access article from: [https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1897/IEAM_2004a-002.1 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry] [[Media: Apitz2005a.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
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| − | :: Part II, Evaluating Risk and Monitoring Sediment Remedy Effectiveness<ref name="Apitz2005b">Apitz, S.E., Davis, J.W., Finkelstein, K., Hohreiter, D.W., Hoke, R., Jensen, R.H., Jersak, J., Kirtay, V.J., Mack, E.E., Magar, V.S. and Moore, D., 2005b. Assessing and Managing Contaminated Sediments: Part II, Evaluating Risk and Monitoring Sediment Remedy Effectiveness. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 1(1), pp.e1-e14. [https://doi.org/10.1897/IEAM_2004a-002e.1 DOI: 10.1897/IEAM_2004a-002e.1]</ref>
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| − | ==Introduction==
| + | *A Design Tool for Solar Thermal Remediation Using Borehole Heat Exchangers. Ornelles, Falta, and Divine, 2023<ref name="Ornelles">Ornelles, A.D., Falta, R.W., Divine, C.E., 2023. A Design Tool for Solar Thermal Remediation Using Borehole Heat Exchangers. Ground Water, 61(2), pp. 245-254. [https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13265 doi: 10.1111/gwat.13265] [https://ngwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gwat.13265 Free download from NGWA]</ref>. |
| − | Improving the management of [[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction | contaminated sediments]] is of growing concern globally. Sediment processes in both marine and freshwater environments are important to the function of aquatic ecosystems<ref name="Apitz2012">Apitz, S.E., 2012. Conceptualizing the role of sediment in sustaining ecosystem services: Sediment-Ecosystem Regional Assessment (SEcoRA), Science of the Total Environment, 415, pp. 9-30. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.05.060 DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.05.060] Free download from: [https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/7588577/Apitz_SEcoRA%202012.pdf?1326618388=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DConceptualizing_the_role_of_sediment_in.pdf&Expires=1637094311&Signature=c2wczG59XxkitPjmBhc9PaODHJ8Vufg3gyzdG8tqGD6~mIVhLoz30E7eQNIghfMlH~jbch3KTVxMqD2AQFMQCSeXghIwqH~lXjGrEP07MJXCEgntzSW-V8Gws~33it5pEm9Ied64fSOvMLJR-PUXVr2OVTsVHQJHurHdGrtEmhUd90bKrC0NNlD28YLGQpkVUOlqa75e0K4sjPngwPUwUxhq18NAH6-1Uc3fQU5g5AjXwGph-VNe7EwzT-0do5OD056AsG-Eg8xIZi0ABJqMsg1wb92tIPpmmNy6ntdklHeN6tq~3IJFB7Tg8XYntQ-CGT8pYV9S7Kz14GhXVm9OQA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA Academia.edu]</ref>, and many organisms rely on certain sediment quality and quantity characteristics for their life cycle<ref name="Hauer2018">Hauer, C., Leitner, P., Unfer, G., Pulg, U., Habersack, H. and Graf, W., 2018. The Role of Sediment and Sediment Dynamics in the Aquatic Environment. In: Schmutz S., Sendzimir J. (ed.s) Riverine Ecosystem Management. Aquatic Ecology Series, vol. 8, pp. 151-169. Springer. [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73250-3_8 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-73250-3_8] Open access book from: [https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/27726/1002280.pdf?seque#page=153 SpringerOpen]</ref>. Human health can also be affected by sediment conditions, either via direct contact, as a result of sediment impacts on water quality, or because of the strong influence sediments can have on the quality of fish and shellfish consumed by people<ref name="Greenfield2015">Greenfield, B.K., Melwani, A.R. and Bay, S.M., 2015. A Tiered Assessment Framework to Evaluate Human Health Risk of Contaminated Sediment. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 11(3), pp. 459-473. [https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.1610 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1610]</ref>. A common approach to achieving the explicit management goals inherent in different sediment assessment frameworks in North America and elsewhere is the use of the ecological risk assessment (ERA)<ref name="USEPA1997a">US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 1997. The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States: Volume 1, National Sediment Quality Survey. EPA-823R-97-006. Washington, DC. [[Media: EPA-823-R-97-006.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. An ERA “evaluates the likelihood and magnitude of adverse effects from exposure to a chemical for organisms, such as animals, plants, or microbes, in the environment”<ref name="SETAC2018">Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), 2018. Technical Issue Paper: Environmental Risk Assessment of Chemicals. SETAC, Pensacola, FL. 5 pp. Free download from: [https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.setac.org/resource/resmgr/publications_and_resources/setac_tip_era.pdf SETAC] [[Media: setac_tip_era2018.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. An ERA provides information relevant to the management decision-making process<ref name="Stahl2001">Stahl, R.G., Bachman, R., Barton, A., Clark, J., deFur, P., Ells, S., Pittinger, C., Slimak, M., Wentsel, R., 2001. Risk Management: Ecological Risk-Based Decision Making. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL, 222 pp. ISBN: 978-1-880611-26-5</ref>. It should be performed in a scientifically based, defensible manner that is cost-effective and protective of human health and the environment<ref name="CNO1999">Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), 1999. Navy Policy for Conducting Ecological Risk Assessments, Letter 5090, Ser N453E/9U595355, dated 05 April 99. Department of the Navy, Washington, DC. Free download from: [https://www.navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/Specialty%20Centers/Engineering%20and%20Expeditionary%20Warfare%20Center/Environmental/Restoration/er_pdfs/gpr/cno-ev-pol-era-19990405.pdf the US Navy] [[Media: CNO1999.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. Therefore, science-based methods for assessing sediment quality and use of risk-based decision-making in sediment management are important for identifying conditions suspected to adversely affect ecological and human services provided by sediments, and predicting the likely consequences of different sediment management actions<ref name="Bridges2006">Bridges, T.S., Apitz, S.E., Evison, L., Keckler, K., Logan, M., Nadeau, S. and Wenning, R.J., 2006. Risk‐Based Decision Making to Manage Contaminated Sediments. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2(1), pp. 51-58. [https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.5630020110 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.5630020110] Free access article from: [https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ieam.5630020110 SETAC]</ref><ref name="Apitz2011">Apitz, S.E., 2011. Integrated Risk Assessments for the Management of Contaminated Sediments in Estuaries and Coastal Systems. In: Wolanski, E. and McLusky, D.S. (eds.) Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science, Vol 4, pp. 311–338. Waltham: Academic Press. ISBN: 9780123747112</ref>.
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| − | Sediment risk assessment is increasingly used by governmental agencies to support sediment management in freshwater, estuarine, and marine environments. Strategies for sediment management encompass a wide variety of actions, from removal, capping or treatment of contaminated sediment to the monitoring of natural processes, including sedimentation, binding, and bio- and photo-degradation that serve to reduce the potential threat to aquatic life over time. It is not uncommon to revisit a sediment risk assessment periodically to check how changed environmental conditions reflected in sediment and biotic sampling work has either reduced or exacerbated the threats identified in the initial assessment.
| + | *Low-Temperature Thermal Remediation: Gaining Traction as a Green Remedial Alternative. Horst, ''et al.'', 2018<ref name="HorstEtAl2018">Horst, J., Flanders, C., Klemmer, M., Randhawa, D.S., Rosso, D., 2018. Low-Temperature Thermal Remediation: Gaining Traction as a Green Remedial Alternative. Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation, 38(3), pp. 18-27. [https://doi.org/10.1111/gwmr.12295 doi: 10.1111/gwmr.12295]</ref>. |
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| − | At present, several countries lack common recommendations specific to conducting risk assessment of contaminated sediments<ref name="Bruce2020">Bruce, P., Sobek, A., Ohlsson, Y. and Bradshaw, C., 2020. Risk assessments of contaminated sediments from the perspective of weight of evidence strategies – a Swedish case study. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 27(5), pp. 1366-1387. [https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2020.1848414 DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2020.1848414] [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10807039.2020.1848414 Website]</ref>. In the European Union, sediment has played a secondary role in the Water Framework Directive (WFD), with most quality standards being focused on water with the option for the development of national standards for sediment and biota for bioaccumulative compounds. The Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) in 2010 provided guidance on the monitoring of contaminants in sediments and biota, but not on risk-based decision-making<ref name="EC2010">European Commission, 2010. Common Implementation Strategy For The Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), Technical Report - 2010 – 041; Guidance document No. 25 On Chemical Monitoring Of Sediment And Biota Under The Water Framework Directive. 82pp. ISBN 978-92-79-16224-4. [https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5ff7a8ec-995b-4d90-a140-0cc9b4bf980d Free download]</ref>. There are efforts underway to incorporate guidance for management of contaminated sediment in the Common Implementation Strategy in 2021<ref name="Brils2020">Brils, J., 2020. Including sediment in European River Basin Management Plans: Twenty years of work by SedNet. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 20(12), pp.4229-4237. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02782-1 DOI: 10.1007/s11368-020-02782-1] [https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11368-020-02782-1.pdf Open Access Article]</ref>. Sediment risk assessment guidance from Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, and the US are most often referenced when assessing the risks from contaminated sediments<ref name="Bruce2020"/><ref name="Birch2018">Birch, G.F., 2018. A review of chemical-based sediment quality assessment methodologies for the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 133, pp.218-232. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.039 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.039]</ref><ref name="Kwok2014">Kwok, K.W., Batley, G.E., Wenning, R.J., Zhu, L., Vangheluwe, M. and Lee, S., 2014. Sediment quality guidelines: challenges and opportunities for improving sediment management. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21(1), pp. 17-27. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1778-7 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-1778-7] Free download from: [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Graeme-Batley/publication/236836992_Sediment_quality_guidelines_Challenges_and_opportunities_for_improving_sediment_management/links/0c96052b8a8f5ad0c6000000/Sediment-quality-guidelines-Challenges-and-opportunities-for-improving-sediment-management.pdf ResearchGate]</ref>. Some European countries, such as Norway, have focused their risk assessment guidance on the assessment of sediment conditions relative to general chemical thresholds, while in North America, risk assessment guidance focuses on site- or region-specific conditions<ref name="Apitz2008">Apitz, S.E., 2008. Is risk-based, sustainable sediment management consistent with European policy?. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 8(6), p.461-466. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-008-0039-8 DOI: 10.1007/s11368-008-0039-8] Free download from: [https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/7081664/apitz%20jss%20risk-based%20europe-with-cover-page-v2.pdf?Expires=1637274548&Signature=KqIoYyQ6VPAFN7lKHJMVC3bbn00RRMCR68bsQNBGrFJ9kbX5BnI-aucFCqRgVUNUb1lu0Q4tzUkCjPXJRGBsTA3OnbH8Ol9sNoXZ001aOwG7tKuV8qEblGiqtQUHh9GdiNAPQsm50f~E1iozL9a6imApWjqK8oFCfdUbcUd1oaW7PCDu28KWN-k5ddefWNZBAzGIdaWt3mBJ1EYeKRrp4F6Codlny3pWCT5MpA~c4c0IKq8L7Uj~-VxH5LXjFDd7cm07JeOY8S5rlxgF1zMoTIggMo5v2M3AS3CO2SAqy7yR3HC-IjUx3RsMqKa5eS2jT1ADiXcqeVygCdCCXza05g__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA Academia.edu]</ref>.
| + | ==Introduction== |
| − | | + | [[File: MunhollandFig1.png | thumb | 500 px | Figure 1: Components and layout of a TISR<sup>®</sup> system]] |
| − | There is general consensus from a regulatory perspective, globally, on the importance of sediment risk assessment. Technical guidance documents prepared by Canada<ref name="Fletcher2008">Fletcher, R., Welsh, P. and Fletcher, T., 2008. Guidelines for Identifying, Assessing, and Managing Contaminated Sediments in Ontario. Ontario Ministry of the Environment. PIBS6658e. [http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/publications/6658e Website]</ref><ref name="HealthCanada2017">Health Canada, 2017. Supplemental Guidance on Human Health Risk Assessment of Contaminated Sediments: Direct Contact Pathway, Federal Contaminated Site Risk Assessment in Canada. ISBN: 978-0-660-07989-9. Cat.: H144-41/2017E-PDF. Pub. 160382. Free download from: [https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2018/sc-hc/H144-41-2017-eng.pdf Health Canada] [[Media: HealthCanada2117.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> , the European Union<ref name="Tarazona2014"/>, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)<ref name="USEPA2005"/> advise a flexible, tiered approach for sediment risk assessment. Sediment quality guidelines in many countries reflect the scientific importance of including certain sediment-specific measurement and biotic assessment endpoints, as well as certain physical sediment processes and chemical transformation processes potentially affecting biotic responses to contaminant exposure in the sediment<ref name="Wenning2005">Wenning, R.J. Batley, G.E., Ingersoll, C.G., and Moore, D.W., (eds), 2005. Use Of Sediment Quality Guidelines And Related Tools For The Assessment Of Contaminated Sediments. SETAC, Pensacola, FL. 815 pp. ISBN 1-880611-71-6.</ref>. New risk assessment methods continue to emerge in the scientific literature<ref name="Benson2018">Benson, N.U., Adedapo, A.E., Fred-Ahmadu, O.H., Williams, A.B., Udosen, E.D., Ayejuyo, O.O. and Olajire, A.A., 2018. A new method for assessment of sediment-associated contamination risks using multivariate statistical approach. MethodsX, 5, pp. 268-276. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2018.03.005 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2018.03.005] [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215016118300438/pdfft?md5=85b8a3a1062310e4c7c4a06e670e66c4&pid=1-s2.0-S2215016118300438-main.pdf Free Access Article] [[Media: Benson2018.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Saeedi2015">Saeedi, M. and Jamshidi-Zanjani, A., 2015. Development of a new aggregative index to assess potential effect of metals pollution in aquatic sediments. Ecological Indicators, 58, pp. 235-243. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.05.047 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.05.047] Free download from: [https://www.academia.edu/download/49801572/mRAC_published.pdf Academis.edu]</ref><ref name="Vaananen2018">Väänänen, K., Leppänen, M.T., Chen, X. and Akkanen, J., 2018. Metal bioavailability in ecological risk assessment of freshwater ecosystems: from science to environmental management. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 147, pp. 430-446. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.08.064 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.08.064]</ref>. These new methods, however, are likely to be considered supplemental to the more generalized framework shared globally.
| + | TISR<sup>®</sup> utilizes [[Wikipedia: Downhole heat exchanger | borehole heat exchangers (BHEs)]] to heat target treatment areas in the subsurface. This is achieved through a combination of solar collectors, which harness solar radiation as heat, and the utilization of other heat sources such as waste heat or hybrid heating with heat pumps. That heat is then transferred to the subsurface via a closed loop circulation system connected to the BHEs (Figure 1). By incorporating these additional heat sources, TISR<sup>®</sup> ensures a more robust and constant heat supply, enabling customization of the system to address specific site challenges and facilitate efficient heat transfer. |
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| − | ==Fundamentals of Sediment Risk Assessment==
| + | The heating of the subsurface through TISR<sup>®</sup> accelerates various processes such as biodegradation, abiotic reactions, and contaminant desorption and dissolution. The technology is also suitable for diverse hydrogeologic environments, including sites with low permeability zones, due to the relatively uniform thermal conductivity of geologic materials, which is unaffected by grain size<ref name="MunhollandEtAl2024"/>. This versatility allows TISR<sup>®</sup> to integrate with conventional remediation technologies, enhancing their performance. |
| − | [[File: SedRiskFig1.PNG | thumb |600px|Figure 1. Schematic of the sediment risk assessment process]]
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| − | Whereas there is strong evidence of anthropogenic impacts on the benthic community at many sediment sites, the degree of toxicity (or even its presence or absence) cannot be predicted with absolute certainty using contaminant concentrations alone<ref name="Apitz2011"/>. A sediment ERA should include lines of evidence (LOEs) derived from several different investigations<ref name="Wenning2005"/>. One common approach to develop several of these LOEs in a decision framework is the triad approach. Triad-based assessment frameworks require evidence based on sediment chemistry, toxicity, and benthic community structure (possibly including evidence of bioaccumulation) to designate sediment as toxic and requiring management or control<ref name="Chapman1996">Chapman, P.M., Paine, M.D., Arthur, A.D., Taylor, L.A., 1996. A triad study of sediment quality associated with a major, relatively untreated marine sewage discharge. Marine Pollution Bulletin 32(1), pp. 47–64. [https://doi.org/10.1016/0025-326X(95)00108-Y DOI: 10.1016/0025-326X(95)00108-Y]</ref>. In some decision frameworks, particularly those used to establish and rank risks in national or regional programs, all components of the triad are carried out simultaneously, with the various LOEs combined to support weight of evidence (WOE) decision making. In other frameworks, LOEs are tiered to minimize costs by collecting only the data required to make a decision and leaving some potential consequences and uncertainties unresolved.
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| − | Figure 1 provides an overview of a sediment risk assessment process. The first step, and a fundamental requirement, in sediment risk assessment, involves scoping and planning prior to undertaking work. This is important for optimizing the available assessment resource and conducting an assessment at the appropriate level of detail that is transparent and free, to the extent possible, of any bias or preconceived beliefs concerning the outcome<ref name="Hill2000">Hill, R.A., Chapman, P.M., Mann, G.S. and Lawrence, G.S., 2000. Level of Detail in Ecological Risk Assessments. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40(6), pp. 471-477. [https://doi.org/10.1016/S0025-326X(00)00036-9 DOI: 10.1016/S0025-326X(00)00036-9]</ref>.
| + | One of the key advantages of TISR<sup>®</sup> is its ability to accelerate treatment processes while minimizing energy consumption. By harnessing renewable and sustainable energy sources such as solar radiation and effectively utilizing waste heat or hybrid heating with heat pumps, TISR<sup>®</sup> delivers an efficient, cost-effective remediation solution. Compatibility with multiple conventional remediation technologies makes it an effective option for addressing a variety of contamination challenges. |
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| − | ===Screening-Level Risk Assessment (SLRA)=== | + | ==Scientific Principles== |
| | + | [[File: MunhollandFig2.png | thumb | 500 px | Figure 2: Effect of temperature on hydrolysis rates for VOCs]] |
| | + | During the TISR<sup>®</sup> heating process, thermal conduction and advection play a crucial role in boosting physical, biological, and chemical processes within the treatment zones, leading to enhanced attenuation, degradation, and removal of contaminants from the subsurface<ref>Dettmer, K., 2002. A Discussion of the Effects of Thermal Remediation Treatments on Microbial Degradation Processes. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Technology Innovation Office, Washington, DC. [[Media: dettmer2002.pdf | free report]] [https://www.clu-in.org/download/techdrct/dettmer.pdf free download from clu-in.org]</ref><ref name="HorstEtAl2018"/>. TISR<sup>®</sup> systems are typically designed to enhance the biological activity and performance of other active technologies, such as [[Wikipedia: Air sparging | air sparge]]/[[Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) | soil vapor extraction]] (AS/SVE) or [[Chemical Oxidation (In Situ - ISCO) | chemical oxidation]], by increasing the subsurface temperature by approximately 10°C to 20°C. The target groundwater temperature is often set to reach up to about 35°C, which is the optimal temperature for promoting the activity of mesophilic microbial communities responsible for biodegradation of certain contaminants. In cases where the objective is to maximize abiotic hydrolysis mechanisms, such as for some chlorinated alkanes, TISR<sup>®</sup> systems can be designed to reach a final groundwater temperature of up to 60°C. |
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| | + | The effectiveness of TISR<sup>®</sup> in enhancing treatment performance has been demonstrated through several mechanisms, which are discussed below: |
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| − | 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] [[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.
| + | *Primary dechlorinating bacteria, such as [[Wikipedia: Dehalococcoides | Dehalococcoides]] and [[Wikipedia: Dehalogenimonas | Dehalogenimonas]], are known to be [[Wikipedia: Mesophile | mesophilic]]. Therefore, increasing the temperature can significantly enhance microbial activity and biodegradation by multiple orders of magnitude<ref>Macbeth, T., Truex, M., Powell, T., Michalsen, M., 2012. Combining Low-Energy Electrical Resistance Heating with Biotic and Abiotic Reactions for Treatment of Chlorinated Solvent DNAPL Source Areas. [https://serdp-estcp.mil/ Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)] [https://serdp-estcp.mil/projects/details/877a3b41-6bed-4f4a-b43a-87fbcd9b7f0b/er-200719-project-overview Project ER-200719 webpage] [[Media: Macbeth2012_ER-200719-FR.pdf | free download]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EbwKbs8scE Project Summary Presentation]</ref>. |
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| − | 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>.
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| − | 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>®</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.
| + | *Reduced iron minerals, particularly iron sulfides, can participate in the abiotic degradation of chlorinated ethenes and other contaminants. The rates of these reactions generally depend on temperature, following the [[Wikipedia: Arrhenius equation | Arrhenius equation]]. |
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| − | 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.
| + | *[[Wikipedia: Hydrolysis | Hydrolysis]] rates for certain compounds exhibit high temperature dependence. For example, a 10°C increase can lead to a 50% reduction in the half-life of [[Wikipedia: 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA)]]<ref>Suthersan, S., Horst, J., Klemmer, M., Malone, D., 2012. Temperature-Activated Auto-Decomposition Reactions: An Under-Utilized In Situ Remediation Solution. Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation, 32(3), pp. 34-40. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01407.x doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01407.x]</ref>. Figure 2 presents the calculated temperature-dependent hydrolysis rates for 13 common [[Wikipedia: Volatile organic compound | volatile organic compounds (VOCs)]] at a pH of 7. |
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| − | 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:
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| − | *erosion and loss of cap integrity | + | *[[Wikipedia: Henry's law | Henry's Law]] constant, [[Wikipedia: Vapor pressure | vapor pressure]], solubility, and viscosity values are also temperature dependent. For instance, the Henry's Law constant values for many VOCs, including [[Wikipedia: Tetrachloroethylene | tetrachloroethene (PCE)]], have been observed to double between 8 and 24°C<ref>Chen, F., Freedman, D.L., Falta, R.W., Murdoch, L.C., 2012. Henry's law constants of chlorinated solvents at elevated temperatures. Chemosphere, 86(2), pp.156-165. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.10.004 doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.10.004]</ref>. |
| − | *high groundwater upwelling rates
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| − | *mobile (low sorption) contaminants of concern (COCs)
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| − | *high COC concentrations
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| − | *unusually toxic COCs
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| − | *the presence of tidal influences
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| − | *the presence of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs)
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| − | *high rates of gas ebullition
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| − | 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.
| + | *Rates of other processes that often limit the pace of remediation, such as dissolution, desorption, and [[Matrix Diffusion | back diffusion]], are positively correlated with temperature. This results in an enhanced bioavailability of contaminant mass that may otherwise be inaccessible. |
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| − | [[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>.
| + | These various mechanisms collectively contribute to the improved performance of other active treatments when temperature is moderately increased by utilization of TISR®. |
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| − | 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.
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| − | 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] [[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>®</sup> or Huesker Tektoseal<sup>®</sup>, or as a composite material such as SediMite<sup>®</sup> or AquaGate<sup>®</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.
| + | ==Implementation and Practical Considerations== |
| | + | [[File: MunhollandFig3.png | thumb | 500 px | Figure 3: Transformation of 1,1-DCE and VC following installation of a TISR<sup>®</sup> system]] |
| | + | TISR<sup>®</sup> has proven successful in reducing contaminant concentrations across diverse hydrogeologic settings, including those with low and complex hydraulic conductivity conditions. Figure 3 shows a sharp initial decrease in [[Wikipedia: 1,1-Dichloroethylene | 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE)]] concentrations due to enhanced biodegradation, and then a temporary small increase followed by subsequent decreases in 1,1-DCE concentrations to below detection limits, possibly the result of temperature-enhanced desorption or dissolution of 1,1-DCE from the aquifer. There is also a temporary increase and then decrease in the concentrations of [[Wikipedia: Vinyl chloride | vinyl chloride (VC)]] (a biodegradation product) to very low levels. |
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| − | 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>®</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>®</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>.
| + | The TISR<sup>®</sup> system construction utilizes off-the-shelf modular components, promoting cost-efficiency, reusability, and a reduced carbon footprint. Waste heat can supplement or replace the solar setup, and remote monitoring through dashboard apps reduces operation and maintenance costs. TISR® projects typically achieve an average capital cost payback within 1 to 3 years due to accelerated rates of remediation. |
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| − | 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<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>.
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| − | ==Cap Design and Materials for Habitat Restoration==
| + | When implementing TISR<sup>®</sup>, [[Wikipedia: Solar irradiance | solar insolation]] and groundwater velocity must be considered for optimal equipment sizing and cycling. Depending on remedial goals and site history and conditions, the TISR<sup>®</sup> system and target temperatures may be designed to enhance specific remedial mechanisms (e.g. hydrolysis over bioremediation). Recently Ornelles ''et al.''<ref name="Ornelles"/> developed an easy to use Excel-based model that can be used to optimize TISR<sup>®</sup> design and predict subsurface temperature changes over time. Frequent monitoring of the temperature and microbial community composition relative to targets is useful for evaluating treatment effectiveness and optimizing system performance. The system and target temperatures can be customized to enhance specific remedial mechanisms based on site conditions and goals. |
| − | 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.
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| | ==Summary== | | ==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.
| + | TISR<sup>®</sup> is a cost-effective and adaptable technology that can be customized to address specific site challenges. It can be used as a standalone solution or be integrated with existing remediation strategies to enhance their effectiveness. TISR<sup>®</sup> is particularly effective in challenging hydrogeological conditions and can be optimized to suit specific treatment mechanisms. By shortening the active remediation timeframe, TISR<sup>®</sup> reduces lifecycle costs and minimizes the carbon footprint associated with the remediation process. |
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
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| | ==See Also== | | ==See Also== |
| | + | [https://vimeo.com/1019489395 TISR<sup>®</sup> Explanation Video] |
