Hazardous Waste Sites Research Articles

Ubiquitous Production of Organosulfates During Treatment of Organic Contaminants with Sulfate Radicals.

Oxidation of organic contaminants by sulfate radical (SO4 •-) is becoming more popular for the treatment of hazardous waste sites by in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) and industrial wastewater by advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). It is well documented that SO4 •- can produce similar oxygen-containing transformation products as hydroxyl radical-based treatment processes, but SO4 •- also has the potential to produce organosulfates by radical addition. Experiments conducted with a suite of 23 aromatic and 5 aliphatic compounds, including several contaminants typically detected at hazardous waste sites, demonstrated the formation of at least one stable sulfate-containing product for 25 of the compounds. These compounds likely exhibit higher mobility in the subsurface due to a lower affinity for surfaces (e.g., aquifer solids, activated carbon) than most other transformation products. Although the health risks associated with organosulfates are still uncertain, some aromatic organosulfates produced in this study (i.e. phenyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate) are known to be harmful uremic toxins. Further study of organosulfate formation, fate, and toxicity is needed before SO4 •--based treatment processes are more widely employed.

MODELING FATE AND TRANSPORT OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs) INSIDE SEWER SYSTEMS.

Hazardous waste site investigations have shown that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be transported via sewer pipes and migrate into indoor spaces. Despite field data confirming the presence of this exposure pathway, there is lack of context-based numerical models that provide guidance to characterize and predict VOCs concentration in sewer gas at vapor intrusion sites. Particularly, this poses a challenge when assessing and mitigating risks associated with these exposure pathways. Therefore, a numerical model has been developed to simulate the concentration of VOCs in sewer gas in different stages throughout the sewer lines. The developed model considers various input parameters, including temperature, sewer liquid depth, groundwater depth, and sewer construction characteristics to incorporate local and operational conditions. The model's output is verified using field data from a sewer system constructed near a Superfund site. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the model's response to variation of the external input parameters. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to model VOCs concentration in sewer gas, particularly to address vapor intrusion. The developed model can be used as a numerical tool to support the development of sewer assessment guidelines, risk assessment studies, and mitigation strategies.

Ports and Environmental Justice in the United States: An Exploratory Statistical Analysis.

A screening environmental justice analysis was conducted of 50 United States ports that manage more than 10 million tons of products. Using the U.S. EPA's EJSCREEN tool, the author examined seven demographic and 11 environmental metrics at distances of 2, 5, and 10 miles from the port centroids. The 2-mile zones were found to have higher values for 13 of the 18 environmental inequity indicators, including all three measures of air toxics, fine particles, proximity to hazardous waste sites, and facilities with risk management plans, as well as indicators of low socioeconomic status and minority populations. With ports expanding, the author discusses the need for maintaining and upgrading EPA's screening tool and considers that alternative futures for port neighborhoods depend upon the strength of their civic groups and elected officials, the role of their government port authorities, and civic values of their commercial users.

Data-Quality Assessment Signals Toxic-Site Safety Threats and Environmental Injustices.

Most hazardous-waste sites are located in urban areas populated by disproportionate numbers of children, minorities, and poor people who, as a result, face more severe pollution threats and environmental-health inequalities. Partly to address this harm, in 2017 the United Nations unanimously endorsed the New Urban Agenda, which includes redeveloping urban-infill-toxic-waste sites. However, no systematic, independent analyses assess the public-health adequacy of such hazardous-facility redevelopments. Our objective is to provide a preliminary data-quality assessment (PDQA) of urban-infill-toxic-site testing, conducted by private redevelopers, including whether it adequately addresses pollution threats. To this end, we used two qualitative, weight-of-evidence methods. Method 1 employs nine criteria to select assessments for PDQA and help control for confounders. To conduct PDQA, Method 2 uses three US Environmental Protection Agency standards—the temporal, geographical, and technological representativeness of sampling. Our Method 1 results reveal four current toxic-site assessments (by CBRE/Trammell Crow, the world’s largest commercial developer); at all of these sites the main risk drivers are solvents, volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene. Our Method 2 results indicate that all four assessments violate most PDQA standards and systematically underestimate health risk. These results reveal environmental injustice, disproportionate health threats to children/minorities/poor people at all four sites. Although preliminary, our conclusion is that alleviating harm and environmental-health inequalities posed by urban-infill-toxic-site pollution may require improving both the testing/cleanup/redevelopment requirements of the New Urban Agenda and the regulatory oversight of assessment and remediation performed by private redevelopers.

Water pollution of world and human health

In the twenty-first century, water deficiencies are a massive obstacle for mankind. Here, we look at the many types of aquatic pollutants, their impact on human health, and how to protect freshwater resources from contamination. Chemical pollution is emphasized, especially inorganic and organic micro pollutants such as hazardous metals and metalloids, as well as a wide range of synthetic organic compounds. Some elements of waterborne illnesses are also addressed, as well as the urgent need for better sanitation in poor nations. The study looks at recent scientific advancements in dealing with a wide range of contaminants. It's divided into sections based on the many temporal and geographical dimensions of global water pollution. For more than five decades, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have had an impact on global water systems; throughout that period, geogenic pollutants, mining activities, and hazardous waste sites were the most significant causes of long-term regional and local water pollution. On a regional to local scale, agricultural chemicals and wastewater sources have a shorter-term impact.

Evaluation of Sequential Extraction Procedure (SEP) to Validate Binding Mechanisms in Soils and Soil-Nano-Calcium Silicate (SNCS) Mixtures

The soils in hazardous waste sites contain heavy metals which would leach into groundwater by various biotic and abiotic processes and eventually pose a threat to human health by contaminating the drinking water. In order to understand pattern of heavy metal leachability, the field conditions can be simulated by adopting various types of sequential extraction methods. In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate the effectiveness and selectivity of a sequential extraction process to determine heavy metal binding mechanisms in soils and soil treated with nano-calcium silicate (NCS). A five-step sequential extraction (SE) procedure was adopted on four soils obtained from a sanitary dumpsite, automobile and battery work units from different localities of Bangalore and a steel plant commissioned at Toranagallu, Bellary, India. The soils were mixed with NCS at varying range of 0.5 to 2% by dry weight of the soil. The NCS-amended soils were spiked with cadmium (Cd2+), nickel (Ni2+) and lead (Pb2+) in concentrations to the tune of 3000 mg/kg. It has been observed that there seems to be a gradual increase in binding ability for the targeted heavy metals when soils were amended with NCS compared to untreated soils. This binding phenomenon was attributed to the presence of exchangeable ions, carbonates, oxides of iron and manganese, organic matter and residual fractions. It was noticed that the residual fractions in soils amended with NCS attenuated maximum quantity of metal ions with Pb2+ at 21.46%, followed by 18.8% for Cd2+ and 9.25% for Ni2+ compared to untreated case. Further, this work highlights the role of residual fraction in enhancing the retention capacity of soils by encapsulation of higher concentrations of contaminants. The current study corroborated the fact that the addition of NCS aids in the better encapsulation of selected heavy metal ions.

Environmental, public health, and economic development perspectives at a Superfund site: A Q methodology approach

Environmental remediation and restoration at hazardous waste sites is important for reducing risks and sustaining local economies. Navigating trade-offs between diverse and conflicting stakeholder perspectives to identify practical and affordable ways forward is important for sustaining objectives and goals. Differences in stakeholder perspectives are informed by their affiliations and roles and their views towards environmental, economic development, and public health issues. We used Q methodology, an approach that combines priority sorting and interviews, to elicit and interpret the perspectives of 28 stakeholders, representing government entities, non-profits, and industries at a mining-impacted Superfund site in the Coeur d’Alene Basin of Idaho, USA. Four primary perspectives were distinguished by their prioritization of: 1) government intervention, 2) the Superfund remediation, 3) local concerns, and 4) public-private partnerships. Participants' roles and affiliations played an influential role in informing primary perspectives. Overall, collaboration was viewed more favorably when it was associated with concrete implementation pathways.

The Right to Knowledge and the Superfund Program: A Fundamental Cause Approach to Disparities in Resident Awareness of Hazardous Waste Sites

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund program was designed to remediate environmentally hazardous waste sites and, in doing so, inform and engage the public. Awareness of su...

Health Care Waste Management Improvement Interventions Specifications and Results: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background:Given the importance of proper management of Health Care Waste Management (HCWM), comprehensive information on interventions in this field is necessary. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review and meta-analysis of characteristics and results of interventions in the field of HCWM.Methods:The required data were gathered through searching the keywords such as waste management, biomedical waste, hospitals waste, health care waste, infectious waste, medical waste, Waste Disposal Facilities, Garbage, Waste Disposal Facilities, Hazardous Waste Sites in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Google scholar, Cochrane library, Science Direct, web of knowledge, SID and MagIran and hand searching in journals, reference by reference, and search in Gray literatures between 2000 and 2019. CMA software: 2 (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis) was used to perform the meta-analysis.Results:Twenty-seven interventions were evaluated. Most of the studies were conducted after 2010, in the form of pre and post study, without control group, and in hospital. Interventions were divided into two categories: educational interventions (19 studies) and multifaceted managerial interventions (8 studies). The most studied outcome (in 11 studies) was KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice). The mean standard difference of interventions on KAP was estimated 3.04 (2.54–3.54) which was significant statistically (P<0.05). Also, interventions were considerably effective in improving the indicators of waste production amount, waste management costs and overall waste management performance.Conclusion:Despite positive effect of interventions, due to the methodological deficiencies of published studies and high heterogeneity in results of studies, caution should be exercised in interpreting and using the results of the studies.

Shifting Definitions of Hazardous Wastes

This paper addresses the emergence of concern with hazardous wastes and the legal liabilities attached to them long before the first federal legislation in the U.S. explicitly using the term; a simultaneous search for marketable by-products during the first three quarters of the twentieth century as a means to decrease the volume of wastes while also diminishing the perceived threat; and the eventual adoption of a legal tactic that asserted absence of liability before formal federal definitions of hazardous wastes. Based on a review of industry and waste management literature, it exposes deliberate efforts on the part of major industry trade organizations to dampen public calls for litigation by making the case that wastes were manageable, recoverable, and non-threatening. These steps sought to offset potential disruptions to their operations by imposing additional costs on waste treatment. When federal legislation became a reality in the 1970s, defenders of industrial practices that created hundreds of hazardous waste sites made the arguments that hazardous properties of wastes were unknown at the time of their disposal. The litigation that swirled around the federal laws proved disruptive and reflect a issue delayed not eliminated.

NAPL-water interfacial area as a function of fluid saturation measured with the interfacial partitioning tracer test method

The presence of organic immiscible liquids such as chlorinated solvents and fuels continues to be a primary source of risk for many hazardous waste sites. In this study, the standard miscible-displacement interfacial partitioning tracer test (IPTT) method was used for the first time to measure NAPL-water interfacial areas for a range of saturations. Multiple measurements were conducted for a natural quartz sand, with tetrachloroethene as the representative NAPL. The interfacial areas increased with decreasing water saturation. The measurements compared well to interfacial areas measured for the same sand with two alternative tracer methods, the mass-distribution batch method and the two-phase flow method. Measurements obtained with all three tracer-based methods exhibit a relatively large degree of variability. Thus, it is important to employ replication when using these methods. In contrast, interfacial areas measured with x-ray microtomography exhibit very small variability. However, the measured interfacial areas do not capture the contribution of surface-roughness to film-associated interfacial area. Each method has associated advantages and disadvantages, and it is important to be cognizant of them during their application.

Bidentate and Monodentate Binding of Chromium (VI) on the Acid Scavenger Exchange Resin, MP-Carbonate, as a Function of pH

Hexavalent chromium or Cr (VI) is a serious health risk that has been identified in drinking water and generally originates as industrial by-products and hazardous waste sites, although natural sources have been reported. Common methods to remove Cr (VI) employ adsorption, filtration, ion exchange technologies, and redox reactions. We report on a macro porous polystyrene anion exchange resin, a solid-supported equivalent of tetra-alkyl ammonium carbonate (Biotage® MP-Carbonate), to effectively remove Cr (VI) from synthetic wastewater with bidentate or monodentate binding modes of chromate, depending on the pH environment. Sorption capacity is pH dependent with 332, 161, and 163 mg CrO42− per gram of MP-Carbonate adsorbed at pH 2, 6.8, and 10, respectively. Experimental data indicate an exergonic and endothermic adsorption process. Static vs. dynamic reaction conditions are discussed. Density functional theory calculations parallel the Gibbs free energy results of the bidentate binding of the large chromate ion compared to carbonate with the ammonium ions. These studies identify the potential uses of MP-Carbonate in the remediation of Cr (VI) wastewater unrelated to the pH of the water source.

Ecological study of effects of industrial watershed on Müllerian anomalies in an obstetric population

ObjectiveTo ascertain the prevalence of Müllerian anomalies within an obstetrical population in relation to official hazardous waste sites designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in West Virginia. MethodsObservational study of obstetric patients in a tertiary care center with uterine ultrasounds from January 2006 to June 2017. An Optimized Hot Spot analysis and Ripley's K- Function was constructed to ascertain if there is an association with environmental exposures. ResultsThe prevalence of Müllerian anomalies in our obstetric study sample was 0.9% (118/13,040). The most common were septate (47; 39.8%) and bicornuate (46; 39.0%). The distribution of Müllerian anomalies was non-random illustrated by Optimized Hot Spot Analysis locating several statistically significant zip codes of Müllerian anomalies in relation to zip codes that include EPA facilities. ConclusionThe distribution of Müllerian anomalies was clustered in watershed areas along the Kanawha River in West Virginia that have been designated as EPA FRS Sites and Superfund Sites.

Superfund Sites and Juvenile Detention: Proximity Analysis in the Western United States

This study considers the relationship between juvenile detention centers and hazardous waste (Superfund) sites in nine western states in the United States. It asks whether there is a pattern of tox...

Dose dependent changes in oxidative stress, hematological variables, tissue pathology, and apoptosis following chronic sodium tungstate exposure in rats

Tungsten (W) toxicity has been identified as one of the major health concerns in the last decade. It has been identified in few hazardous waste sites and proposed for inclusion in the Environmental Protection Agency National Priorities List. The purpose of this study was to provide biochemical basis for understanding the tungstate induced interference in different organs and blood. Male Wistar rats were exposed to the concentration of 50, 100 and 200 ppm of tungstate in drinking water for 120 days. The hematological profiling was done after 15, 30 and 120 days. The biochemical estimation of oxidative stress parameters and histopathology of different organs were performed after 120 days. Significant reduction in the WBC and RBC counts, and hemoglobin levels was observed after exposure to 200 ppm of tungstate for 120 days. Significant alterations were observed in oxidative stress markers, being more pronounced in the liver and spleen. This was consistent with elevated number of apoptotic cells in spleen, and high tungstate concentration in blood, liver and spleen. Hence, we can conclude that the free radical induced oxidative stress which alters the antioxidant response are the possible mechanisms behind tungstate toxicity as we observed alterations in hematological parameters, histopathological observations, number of apoptotic cells, and bio-distribution of W. The study provides useful data for assessing the need to conduct health checkup in individuals living near hazardous waste sites or other sites associated with W exposure. Also, it provides information for assessing the potential health risks associated with tungstate toxicity.

Comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness on metals recovery and decontamination from MSWI fly ash by an integrating hydrometallurgical process in Guangzhou

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash generally contains substantial toxic elements which can be easily released into the environment, giving rise to serious environmental contaminations. In order to dispose of these harmful fly ashes safely and feasibly, an advanced and reliable strategy is needed. This work presented an integrated method designed for recycling of valuable copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) through hydrochloric acid leaching and sequential extraction (using LIX 860N-I and Cyanex 572 for Cu and Zn as extractants, respectively) and clean-up of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in consequential waste effluent by adsorption with a versatile material – bundle-like hydroxyapatite (B-HAP). The method was applied in the pilot scale tests with recovery yields of 95% and 61% for Cu and Zn, respectively. Additionally, satisfied removal efficiencies of Cd and Pb (over 95% for both) were realized, reaching the acceptable emission level for Cd and Pb in China. A scenario based on the latest MSW data in 2018 in Guangzhou was assessed through the integrated pilot experiment. The evaluation demonstrates a reduction of a $ 20.8 million cost; over 48.2 k GJ of energy consumption and 5800 tons of CO2 emission can be reduced in 2018, comparing to that landfilled in hazardous waste sites, which reveals great benefits. The valuable metal recovery in combination with decontamination of toxic elements/substances as a complete and combined process gives a promising fly ash treatment strategy in future.

Investigating the impact of Hurricane Maria on an ongoing birth cohort in Puerto Rico.

Prior to Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico already had 200+ hazardous waste sites, significant contamination of water resources, and among the highest rates of preterm birth in the US. To address these issues, the Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT) Center was formed in 2010 to investigate prenatal environmental exposures, particularly phthalates, and adverse birth outcomes. Recent work from the PROTECT study confirms that in utero exposure to certain phthalates is associated with shorter gestation and increased risk of preterm birth. However, previous research also suggests that pregnant women who experience a natural disaster such as Hurricane Maria are at higher risk of adverse birth outcomes, but it is unknown whether this is due to stress, hazardous exposures, or a combination of factors. Thus, the aim of this analysis was to characterize hurricane-related changes in phthalate exposures and experiences within the PROTECT cohort. Among 176 participants who were pregnant during or within 5 months after Maria, 122 completed a questionnaire on hurricane-related experiences. Questionnaire results and biomarkers of exposure suggest that participants did not have regular access to fresh foods and water during hurricane recovery, and almost half reported structural damage to their home. In addition, biomarker concentrations of phthalates commonly used in food packaging were higher among participants post-hurricane, while phthalates commonly used in personal care products were lower compared to pre-hurricane levels. Hurricane-related increases in phthalate exposure, as well as widespread structural damage, food and water shortages, and long-term absence of electricity and cell phone service, likely increased the risk of adverse birth outcomes among this already vulnerable population.

A review of exposure assessment methods for epidemiological studies of health effects related to industrially contaminated sites.

this paper is based upon work from COST Action ICSHNet. Health risks related to living close to industrially contaminated sites (ICSs) are a public concern. Toxicology-based risk assessment of single contaminants is the main approach to assess health risks, but epidemiological studies which investigate the relationships between exposure and health directly in the affected population have contributed important evidence. Limitations in exposure assessment have substantially contributed to uncertainty about associations found in epidemiological studies. to examine exposure assessment methods that have been used in epidemiological studies on ICSs and to provide recommendations for improved exposure assessment in epidemiological studies by comparing exposure assessment methods in epidemiological studies and risk assessments. after defining the multi-media framework of exposure related to ICSs, we discussed selected multi-media models applied in Europe. We provided an overview of exposure assessment in 54 epidemiological studies from a systematic review of hazardous waste sites; a systematic review of 41 epidemiological studies on incinerators and 52 additional studies on ICSs and health identified for this review. we identified 10 multi-media models used in Europe primarily for risk assessment. Recent models incorporated estimation of internal biomarker levels. Predictions of the models differ particularly for the routes 'indoor air inhalation' and 'vegetable consumption'. Virtually all of the 54 hazardous waste studies used proximity indicators of exposure, based on municipality or zip code of residence (28 studies) or distance to a contaminated site (25 studies). One study used human biomonitoring. In virtually all epidemiological studies, actual land use was ignored. In the 52 additional studies on contaminated sites, proximity indicators were applied in 39 studies, air pollution dispersion modelling in 6 studies, and human biomonitoring in 9 studies. Exposure assessment in epidemiological studies on incinerators included indicators (presence of source in municipality and distance to the incinerator) and air dispersion modelling. Environmental multi-media modelling methods were not applied in any of the three groups of studies. recommendations for refined exposure assessment in epidemiological studies included the use of more sophisticated exposure metrics instead of simple proximity indicators where feasible, as distance from a source results in misclassification of exposure as it ignores key determinants of environmental fate and transport, source characteristics, land use, and human consumption behaviour. More validation studies using personal exposure or human biomonitoring are needed to assess misclassification of exposure. Exposure assessment should take more advantage of the detailed multi-media exposure assessment procedures developed for risk assessment. The use of indicators can be substantially improved by linking definition of zones of exposure to existing knowledge of extent of dispersion. Studies should incorporate more often land use and individual behaviour.

Environmental nursing: Leaders reflect on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

The notion that “it takes a village” rings particularly true for the incredible progress that a small village of environmental health nursing leaders has helped to accomplish. Many nurses who come to environmental health also have had an abiding relationship to “nature” which in many cases has meant the great outdoors—our experiences hiking and camping, on our farms, and in gardens. For some nurses protecting our land, air, and water is a natural extension of this first relationship with nature. As nurses, we learn that our environments also include indoor environments, such as our workplaces, schools, and institutions. Our environments are also our neighborhoods and communities in relation to nearby industries, hazardous waste sites, aerial spraying of pesticides, and oil/gas wells. And as nurses we weave our knowledge about the human body, vulnerable populations, and health disparities into our learning so that environmental health and environmental justice become the goal posts for our newly integrated environmental health and nursing efforts. The seminal report “Nursing, Health & Environment,” prepared for the Institute of Medicine in 1995, identified four key areas for nursing focus. Since then, these are addressed as the REAP Framework: Research, Education, Advocacy, and Practice. This article contains a compendium of stories about and by seven nursing leaders and one Indigenous midwife who have written, worked, and led in environmental health and nursing over the past 50 years. It is our way of sharing nurses’ history in these endeavors and celebrating it in the context of this month's 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

Resolving "Resolved": Covenants Not to Sue and the Availability of CERCLA Contribution Actions

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)—as part of its dual goals of cleaning up hazardous-waste sites and ensuring that the polluter pays for that cleanup—gives private parties two mutually exclusive causes of action: cost recovery and contribution. Contribution is available in limited circumstances, including if the party has “resolved” its liability with the government. But CERCLA does not define this operative term. Federal courts are split over how the structure of a settlement resolves liability. Several courts follow Bernstein v. Bankert, which held that any conditions precedent and nonadmissions of liability strongly suggest that a party has not yet resolved its liability. The Ninth Circuit’s recent case, ASARCO LLC v. Atlantic Richfield Co., said liability is resolved if the settlement determines the party’s obligations with “certainty and finality.” Bernstein deviates from CERCLA’s text and policy, leading to serious inconsistencies in the interpretation and application of the statute. ASARCO injects uncertainty into the statute, which disincentivizes settlements. When the stakes are the reallocation of billions of dollars and the amelioration of the most notorious environmental disasters, getting it right is paramount. This Note proposes a bright-line rule—liability is resolved when the settlement contains any covenant not to sue, conditional or unconditional—and argues that this reading cleans up many of the issues the current circuit split imparts on the statute.