Grantee Research Project Results

Seasonal Controls of Arsenic Transport Across the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface at a Closed Landfill Site

EPA Grant Number: R828771C013
Subproject: this is subproject number 013 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828771
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for the Study of Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment
Center Director: Hansel, Nadia
Title: Seasonal Controls of Arsenic Transport Across the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface at a Closed Landfill Site
Investigators: MacKay, Allison , Smets, Barth F. , Fairbrother, D. Howard
Institution: University of Connecticut , The Johns Hopkins University
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2007
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management

Objective:

Many industrial and urban sites with subsurface contamination are characterized by shallow aquifers that discharge to nearby surface water bodies. There is little understanding of the ecological risk posed by groundwater contaminant discharges to surface water ecosystems. A limited number of studies suggest that chemical and biological processes in the groundwater-surface water interface (GSI) may play an important role in attenuating groundwater contaminant discharges to surface water bodies. Preliminary observations at the Auburn Road landfill Superfund site suggest groundwater arsenic transport to the Cohas Brook is controlled by the formation of iron oxides in the sediments. In particular, iron oxidizing bacteria are present in the sediments and may play a central role in generation of iron oxyhydroxide solids because abiotic iron oxidation is extremely slow given the pore water chemistry in the GSI.

The goal of this research project is to identify the seasonal cycle of arsenic sequestration and release between sediments and pore waters in the groundwater-surface water interface. The specific objectives are to: (1) quantify the seasonal distributions of arsenic, iron and sulfur species and other key electron-donating and -accepting species relative to the GSI; (2) determine the significance of microbial and chemical iron oxidation in the GSI, including temporal and spatial trends, and (3) characterize the composition and crystallinity of iron solids, including arsenic associations and speciation in oxyhydroxide precipitates newly formed in the field or under chemically or microbially enhanced laboratory conditions.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 14 publications for this subproject | View all 108 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 2 journal articles for this subproject | View all 20 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

GSI, metal transport, arsenic, iron-oxidizing bacteria, iron-reducing bacteria, toxics, exposure, hazardous substances, assessment, cleanup, risk communication, RFA, Scientific Discipline, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Waste, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Environmental Chemistry, Chemicals, Hazardous Waste, Ecological Risk Assessment, Hazardous, Environmental Engineering, contaminated sediments, hazardous waste disposal, hazardous waste management, hazardous waste treatment, contaminated waste sites, fate and transport , landfills, contaminated groundwater, chemical releases, hazardous waste characterization, arsenic, heavy metals, groundwater

Progress and Final Reports:

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R828771 Center for the Study of Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828771C001 Co-Contaminant Effects on Risk Assessment and Remediation Activities Involving Urban Sediments and Soils: Phase II
R828771C002 The Fate and Potential Bioavailability of Airborne Urban Contaminants
R828771C003 Geochemistry, Biochemistry, and Surface/Groundwater Interactions for As, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cd with Applications to Contaminated Waterfronts
R828771C004 Large Eddy Simulation of Dispersion in Urban Areas
R828771C005 Speciation of chromium in environmental media using capillary electrophoresis with multiple wavlength UV/visible detection
R828771C006 Zero-Valent Metal Treatment of Halogenated Vapor-Phase Contaminants in SVE Offgas
R828771C007 The Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments (CHSUE) Outreach Program
R828771C008 New Jersey Institute of Technology Outreach Program for EPA Region II
R828771C009 Urban Environmental Issues: Hartford Technology Transfer and Outreach
R828771C010 University of Maryland Outreach Component
R828771C011 Environmental Assessment and GIS System Development of Brownfield Sites in Baltimore
R828771C012 Solubilization of Particulate-Bound Ni(II) and Zn(II)
R828771C013 Seasonal Controls of Arsenic Transport Across the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface at a Closed Landfill Site
R828771C014 Research Needs in the EPA Regions Covered by the Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments
R828771C015 Transport of Hazardous Substances Between Brownfields and the Surrounding Urban Atmosphere

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.