Difference between revisions of "User:Jhurley/sandbox"

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==Sediment Capping==
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==''In Situ'' Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE)==  
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Capping is an ''in situ'' remedial technology that involves placement of a clean substrate on the surface of [[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction | contaminated sediments]] to reduce contaminant uptake by benthic organisms and contaminant flux to surface water. Simple sand caps can be effective in reducing exposure of benthic organisms and by limiting oxygen transport, resulting in precipitation of metal sulfides. Amendments are sometimes included in caps to reduce permeability and water flow, to increase contaminant sorption or biodegradation, or to improve habitat.
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The ''in situ'' Toxicity Identification Evaluation system is a tool to incorporate in weight-of-evidence studies at sites with numerous chemical toxicant classes present. The technology works by continuously sampling site water, immediately fractionating the water using diagnostic sorptive resins, and then exposing test organisms to the water to observe toxicity responses with minimal sample manipulation. It is compatible with various resins, test organisms, and common acute and chronic toxicity tests, and can be deployed at sites with a wide variety of physical and logistical considerations.
 
<div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>
 
<div style="float:right;margin:0 0 2em 2em;">__TOC__</div>
  
 
'''Related Article(s):'''
 
'''Related Article(s):'''
 +
 
*[[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction]]
 
*[[Contaminated Sediments - Introduction]]
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*[[In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Sediments with Activated Carbon]]
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*[[Contaminated Sediment Risk Assessment]]
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*Sediment Risk Assessment
 
 
*[[Passive Sampling of Sediments]]
 
*[[Passive Sampling of Sediments]]
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*[[Sediment Porewater Dialysis Passive Samplers for Inorganics (Peepers)]]
  
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'''Contributor(s):'''  
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'''Contributors:''' Dr. G. Allen Burton Jr., Austin Crane
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*Danny Reible
 
  
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'''Key Resource(s):'''
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'''Key Resources:'''
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*Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Reible2014">Reible, D. D., Editor, 2014. Processes, Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. Springer, New York, NY. 462 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4614-6725-0</ref>
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*A Novel In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) System for Determining which Chemicals Drive Impairments at Contaminated Sites<ref name="BurtonEtAl2020">Burton, G.A., Cervi, E.C., Meyer, K., Steigmeyer, A., Verhamme, E., Daley, J., Hudson, M., Colvin, M.,  Rosen, G., 2020. A novel In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) System for Determining which Chemicals Drive Impairments at Contaminated Sites. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(9), pp. 1746-1754. [https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4799 doi: 10.1002/etc.4799]</ref>  
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*An in situ toxicity identification and evaluation water analysis system: Laboratory validation<ref name="SteigmeyerEtAl2017">Steigmeyer, A.J., Zhang, J., Daley, J.M., Zhang, X., Burton, G.A. Jr., 2017. An in situ toxicity identification and evaluation water analysis system: Laboratory validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 36(6), pp. 1636-1643. [https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3696 doi: 10.1002/etc.3696]</ref>
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* Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments<ref name="Palermo1998">Palermo, M., Maynord, S., Miller, J. and Reible, D., 1998. Guidance for In-Situ Subaqueous Capping of Contaminated Sediments. Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Program, Great Lakes National Program Office, US EPA 905-B96-004. 147 pp.</ref>
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*Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) Phases I, II, and III Guidance Document<ref>United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2007. Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) Phases I, II, and III Guidance Document, EPA/600/R-07/080. 145 pages. [https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=P1003GR1.txt Free Download]&nbsp; [[Media: EPA2007.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
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*In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) Technology for Assessing Contaminated Sediments, Remediation Success, Recontamination and Source Identification<ref>In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) Technology for Assessing Contaminated Sediments, Remediation Success, Recontamination and Source Identification [https://serdp-estcp.mil/projects/details/88a8f9ba-542b-4b98-bfa4-f693435535cd/er18-1181-project-overview Project Website]&nbsp; [[Media: ER18-1181Ph.II.pdf | Final Report.pdf]]</ref>
  
 
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
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[[File:SedCapFig1.png|thumb|left|Figure 1. Conceptual sketch of a cap configuration]]
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In waterways impacted by numerous naturally occurring and anthropogenic chemical stressors, it is crucial for environmental practitioners to be able to identify which chemical classes are causing the highest degrees of toxicity to aquatic life. Previously developed methods, including the Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) protocol developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)<ref>Norberg-King, T., Mount, D.I., Amato, J.R., Jensen, D.A., Thompson, J.A., 1992. Toxicity identification evaluation: Characterization of chronically toxic effluents: Phase I. Publication No. EPA/600/6-91/005F. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/owm0255.pdf Free Download from US EPA]&nbsp; [[Media: usepa1992.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>, can be confounded by sample manipulation artifacts and temporal limitations of ''ex situ'' organism exposures<ref name="BurtonEtAl2020"/>. These factors may disrupt causal linkages and mislead investigators during site characterization and management decision-making. The ''in situ'' Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) technology was developed to allow users to strengthen stressor-causality linkages and rank chemical classes of concern at impaired sites, with high degrees of ecological realism.  
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Capping is an ''in situ'' remedial technology for contaminated sediments that involves placement of a clean substrate on the sediment surface.  Capping contaminated sediments following [[Wikipedia: Dredging | dredging operations]] and capping of dredged material to stabilize contaminants has been a common practice by the United States Army Corps of Engineers since the 1970s.  Beginning in the 1980s, in Japan and subsequently elsewhere, capping has been used more widely as a remedial approach to improve the quality of the bottom substrate and reduce contaminant exposures to benthic organisms and fish.  The USEPA published a capping guidance document in 1998 that summarizes past uses of sediment capping and outlines its basic design<ref name="Palermo1998"/>.    Although capping technology has developed substantially in the past 20 years, this early reference still provides useful information on the approach and its applications.  A more recent summary of capping is described in Reible 2014<ref name="Reible2014"/>.
 
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Capping serves to contain contaminated sediment solids, isolate contaminants from benthic organisms and reduce contaminant transport to the sediment surface and overlying water.  The clean substrate may be an inert material such as sand, a natural sorbing material such as other sediments or clays, or be amended with an active/reactive material to enhance the isolation of the contaminants.  Amendments to enhance contaminant isolation include permeability reduction agents to divert groundwater flow, sorbents to retard contaminant migration through the capping layer or provide greater accumulation capacity, or reagents to encourage degradation or transformation of the contaminants.
 
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The basic concept of a cap is illustrated in Figure 1.  The Figure also illustrates that a cap is often a thin layer or layers relative to water depth and generally causes little disturbance to the underlying sediments or body of water in which it is placed.  Depending upon the erosive forces to which the cap may be subjected, the surface layer may be composed of relatively coarse material to withstand those erosive forces.  
 
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Although a cap is typically thin compared to the water depth, it generally must be thicker than the biologically active zone (BAZ) of the sediments.  The biologically active zone is that zone in which benthic organisms live and interact with the sediment.  Their activities tend to mix the BAZ (known as [[Wikipedia: Bioturbation | bioturbation]]) over the course of a few years and thus a cap that is thinner than the BAZ will tend to become intermixed with the underlying contaminated sediments.  Processes other than bioturbation including diffusion, advection or groundwater upwelling, hyporheic exchange near the interface, biogenic gas production and migration and underlying sediment consolidation can all lead to contaminant migration into and through a cap.  These occur at different rates and intensities and their assessment and evaluation ultimately governs the effectiveness of a cap and the feasibility of its use as a sediment remediation technology for a particular site.
 
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==Environmental Fate==
 
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TCP’s fate in the environment is governed by its physical and chemical properties (Table 1). TCP does not adsorb strongly to soil, making it likely to leach into groundwater and exhibit high mobility. In addition, TCP is moderately volatile and can partition from surface water and moist soil into the atmosphere. Because TCP is only slightly soluble and denser than water, it can form a [[Wikipedia: Dense non-aqueous phase liquid | dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL)]] as observed at the Tyson’s Dump Superfund Site<ref name="USEPA2019"> United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2019. Fifth Five-year Review Report, Tyson’s Dump Superfund Site, Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Free download from: [https://semspub.epa.gov/work/03/2282817.pdf USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: USEPA2019.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. TCP is generally resistant to aerobic biodegradation, hydrolysis, oxidation, and reduction under naturally occurring conditions making it persistent in the environment<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
 
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:10px;text-align:center;"
 
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|+Table 1.  Physical and chemical properties of TCP<ref name="USEPA2017">United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2017. Technical Fact Sheet—1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP). EPA Project 505-F-17-007. 6 pp.  Free download from: [https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-10/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminants_tcp_9-15-17_508.pdf  USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: epa_tcp_2017.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>
 
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!Property
 
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!Value
 
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| Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number || 96-18-4
 
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| Physical Description</br>(at room temperature) || Colorless to straw-colored liquid
 
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| Molecular weight  (g/mol) || 147.43
 
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| Water solubility at 25°C  (mg/L)|| 1,750 (slightly soluble)
 
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| Melting point  (°C)|| -14.7
 
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| Boiling point  (°C) || 156.8
 
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| Vapor pressure at 25°C  (mm Hg) || 3.10 to 3.69
 
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| Density at 20°C (g/cm<sup>3</sup>) || 1.3889
 
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| Octanol-water partition coefficient</br>(log''K<sub>ow</sub>'') || 1.98 to 2.27</br>(temperature dependent)
 
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| Organic carbon-water partition coefficient</br>(log''K<sub>oc</sub>'') || 1.70 to 1.99</br>(temperature dependent)
 
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| Henry’s Law constant at 25°C</br>(atm-m<sup>3</sup>/mol) || 3.17x10<sup>-4</sup><ref name="ATSDR2021"/> to 3.43x10<sup>-4</sup><ref name="LeightonCalo1981">Leighton Jr, D.T. and Calo, J.M., 1981. Distribution Coefficients of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Dilute Air-Water Systems for Groundwater Contamination Applications. Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data, 26(4), pp. 382-385.  [https://doi.org/10.1021/je00026a010 DOI: 10.1021/je00026a010]</ref>
 
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|}
 
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==Occurrence==
 
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TCP has been detected in approximately 1% of public water supply and domestic well samples tested by the United States Geological Survey. More specifically, TCP was detected in 1.2% of public supply well samples collected between 1993 and 2007 by Toccalino and Hopple<ref name="ToccalinoHopple2010">Toccalino, P.L., Norman, J.E., Hitt, K.J., 2010. Quality of Source Water from Public-Supply Wells in the United States, 1993–2007. Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5024. U.S. Geological Survey. [https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20105024 DOI: 10.3133/sir20105024]  Free download from: [https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sir20105024 USGS]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Quality_of_source_water_from_public-supply_wells_in_the_United_States%2C_1993-2007.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> and 0.66% of domestic supply well samples collected between 1991 and 2004 by DeSimone<ref name="DeSimone2009">DeSimone, L.A., 2009. Quality of Water from Domestic Wells in Principal Aquifers of the United States, 1991–2004. U.S. Geological Survey, Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5227. 139 pp. Free download from: [http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5227 USGS]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: DeSimone2009.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. TCP was detected at a higher rate in domestic supply well samples associated with agricultural land-use studies than samples associated with studies comparing primary aquifers (3.5% versus 0.2%)<ref name="DeSimone2009"/>.
 
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==Regulation==
 
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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has not established an MCL for TCP, although guidelines and health standards are in place<ref name="USEPA2017"/>. TCP was included in the Contaminant Candidate List 3<ref name="USEPA2009">United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), 2009. Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 3-Final. Federal Register 74(194), pp. 51850–51862, Document E9-24287. [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2009/10/08/E9-24287/drinking-water-contaminant-candidate-list-3-final Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: FR74-194DWCCL3.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> and the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 3 (UCMR 3)<ref name="USEPA2012">United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), 2012. Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Mentoring Regulation (UCMR 3) for Public Water Systems. Federal Register 77(85) pp. 26072-26101. [https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/05/02/2012-9978/revisions-to-the-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-regulation-ucmr-3-for-public-water-systems  Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: FR77-85UCMR3.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. The UCMR 3 specified that data be collected on TCP occurrence in public water systems over the period of January 2013 through December 2015 against a reference concentration range of 0.0004 to 0.04 μg/L<ref name="USEPA2017a">United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), 2017. The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3): Data Summary. EPA 815-S-17-001. [https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/data-summary-third-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule  Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: ucmr3-data-summary-january-2017.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. The reference concentration range was determined based on a cancer risk of 10-6 to 10-4 and derived from an oral slope factor of 30 mg/kg-day, which was determined by the EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System<ref name="IRIS2009">USEPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), 2009. 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (CASRN 96-18-4). [https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris2/chemicalLanding.cfm?substance_nmbr=200 Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: TCPsummaryIRIS.pdf | Summary.pdf]]</ref>. Of 36,848 samples collected during UCMR 3, 0.67% exceeded the minimum reporting level of 0.03 µg/L. 1.4% of public water systems had at least one detection over the minimum reporting level, corresponding to 2.5% of the population<ref name="USEPA2017a"/>. While these occurrence percentages are relatively low, the minimum reporting level of 0.03 µg/L is more than 75 times the USEPA-calculated Health Reference Level of 0.0004 µg/L. Because of this, TCP may occur in public water systems at concentrations that exceed the Health Reference Level but are below the minimum reporting level used during UCMR 3 data collection. These analytical limitations and lack of lower-level occurrence data have prevented the USEPA from making a preliminary regulatory determination for TCP<ref name="USEPA2021">USEPA, 2021. Announcement of Final Regulatory Determinations for Contaminants on the Fourth Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List. Free download from: [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/documents/10019.70.ow_ccl_reg_det_4.final_web.pdf USEPA]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: CCL4.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
 
  
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Some US states have established their own standards including Hawaii which has established an MCL of 0.6 μg/L<ref name="HDOH2013">Hawaii Department of Health, 2013. Amendment and Compilation of Chapter 11-20 Hawaii Administrative Rules. Free download from: [http://health.hawaii.gov/sdwb/files/2016/06/combodOPPPD.pdf Hawaii Department of Health]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Amendment_and_Compilation_of_Chapter_11-20_Hawaii_Administrative_Rules.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. California has established an MCL of 0.005 μg/L<ref name="CCR2021">California Code of Regulations, 2021. Section 64444 Maximum Contaminant Levels – Organic Chemicals (22 CA ADC § 64444). [https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs/Document/IA7B3800D18654ABD9E2D24A445A66CB9 Website]</ref>, a notification level of 0.005 μg/L, and a public health goal of 0.0007 μg/L<ref name="OEHHA2009">Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), California Environmental Protection Agency, 2009. Final Public Health Goal for 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in Drinking Water. [https://oehha.ca.gov/water/public-health-goal/final-public-health-goal-123-trichloropropane-drinking-water Website]</ref>, and New Jersey has established an MCL of 0.03 μg/L<ref name="NJAC2020">New Jersey Administrative Code 7:10, 2020. Safe Drinking Water Act Rules. Free download from: [https://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/njac7_10.pdf  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection]</ref>.  
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The technology has undergone a series of improvements in recent years, with the most recent prototype being robust, operable in a wide variety of site conditions, and cost-effective compared to alternative site characterization methods<ref>Burton, G.A. Jr., Nordstrom, J.F., 2004. An in situ toxicity identification evaluation method part I: Laboratory validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(12), pp. 2844-2850. [https://doi.org/10.1897/03-409.1 doi: 10.1897/03-409.1]</ref><ref>Burton, G.A. Jr., Nordstrom, J.F., 2004. An in situ toxicity identification evaluation method part II: Field validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(12), pp. 2851-2855. [https://doi.org/10.1897/03-468.1 doi: 10.1897/03-468.1]</ref><ref name="BurtonEtAl2020"/><ref name="SteigmeyerEtAl2017"/>. The latest prototype can be used in any of the following settings: in marine, estuarine, or freshwater sites; to study surface water or sediment pore water; in shallow waters easily accessible by foot or in deep waters only accessible by pier or boat. It can be used to study sites impacted by a wide variety of stressors including ammonia, [[Metal and Metalloid Contaminants | metals]], pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), [[Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) | polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)]], and [[Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)]], among others. The technology is applicable to studies of acute toxicity via organism survival or of chronic toxicity via responses in growth, reproduction, or gene expression<ref name="BurtonEtAl2020"/>.
  
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==Transformation Processes==
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==System Components and Validation==
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[[File:123TCPFig2.png|thumb|600px|left|Figure 2. Figure 2. Summary of anticipated primary reaction pathways for degradation of TCP. Oxidation, hydrolysis, and hydrogenolysis are represented by the horizontal arrows. Elimination (dehydrochlorination) and reductive elimination are shown with vertical arrows. [O] represents oxygenation (by oxidation or hydrolysis), [H] represents reduction. Gray indicates products that appear to be of lesser significance<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.]]
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[[File: CraneFig1.png | thumb | 600 px | Figure 1: A schematic diagram of the iTIE system prototype. The system is divided into three sub-systems: 1) the Pore Water/Surface Water Collection Sub-System (blue); 2) the Pumping Sub-System (red); and 3) the iTIE Resin, Exposure, and Sampling Sub-System (green). Water first enters the system through the Pore Water/Surface Water Collection Sub-System. Porewater can be collected using Trident-style probes, or surface water can be collected using a simple weighted probe. The water is composited in a manifold before being pumped to the rest of the iTIE system by the booster pump. Once in the iTIE Resin, Exposure, and Sampling Sub-System, the water is gently oxygenated by the Oxygen Coil, separated from gas bubbles by the Drip Chamber, and diverted to separate iTIE Resin and Exposure Chambers (or iTIE units) by the Splitting Manifold. Water movement through each iTIE unit is controlled by a dedicated Regulation Pump. Finally, the water is gathered in Sample Collection bottles for analysis.]]
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Potential TCP degradation pathways include hydrolysis, oxidation, and reduction (Figure 2). These pathways are expected to be similar overall for abiotic and biotic reactions<ref name="Sarathy2010">Sarathy, V., Salter, A.J., Nurmi, J.T., O’Brien Johnson, G., Johnson, R.L., and Tratnyek, P.G., 2010. Degradation of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane (TCP): Hydrolysis, Elimination, and Reduction by Iron and Zinc. Environmental Science and Technology, 44(2), pp.787-793.  [https://doi.org/10.1021/es902595j DOI: 10.1021/es902595j]</ref>, but the rates of the reactions (and their resulting significance for remediation) depend on natural and engineered conditions.  
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The&nbsp;latest&nbsp;iTIE&nbsp;prototype consists of an array of sorptive resins that differentially fractionate sampled water, and a series of corresponding flow-through organism chambers that receive the treated water ''in situ''. Resin treatments can be selected depending on the chemicals suspected to be present at each site to selectively sequester certain chemical of concern (CoC) classes from the whole water, leaving a smaller subset of chemicals in the resulting water fraction for chemical and toxicological characterization. Test organism species and life stages can also be chosen depending on factors including site characteristics and study goals. In the full iTIE protocol, site water is continuously sampled either from the sediment pore spaces or the water column at a site, gently oxygenated, diverted to different iTIE units for fractionation and organism exposure, and collected in sample bottles for off-site chemical analysis (Figure 1). All iTIE system components are housed within waterproof Pelican cases, which allow for ease of transport and temperature control.
  
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The rate of hydrolysis of TCP is negligible under typical ambient pH and temperature conditions but is favorable at high pH and/or temperature<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Sarathy2010"/>. For example, ammonia gas can be used to raise soil pH and stimulate alkaline hydrolysis of chlorinated propanes including TCP<ref name="Medina2016">Medina, V.F., Waisner, S.A., Griggs, C.S., Coyle, C., and Maxwell, M., 2016. Laboratory-Scale Demonstration Using Dilute Ammonia Gas-Induced Alkaline Hydrolysis of Soil Contaminants (Chlorinated Propanes and Explosives). US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Environmental Laboratory (ERDC/EL), Report TR-16-10. [http://hdl.handle.net/11681/20312 Website]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: ERDC_EL_TR_16_10.pdf  | Report.pdf]]</ref>. [[Thermal Conduction Heating (TCH)]] may also produce favorable conditions for TCP hydrolysis<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Sarathy2010"/>.
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===Porewater and Surface Water Collection Sub-system===
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[[File: CraneFig2.png | thumb | 600 px | Figure 2: a) Trident probe with auxiliary sensors attached, b) a Trident probe with end caps removed (the red arrow identifies the intermediate space where glass beads are packed to filter suspended solids), c) a Trident probe being installed using a series of push poles and a fence post driver]]
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Given&nbsp;the&nbsp;importance&nbsp;of sediment porewater to ecosystem structure and function, investigators may employ the iTIE system to evaluate the toxic effects associated with the impacted sediment porewater. To accomplish this, the iTIE system utilizes the Trident probe, originally developed for Department of Defense site characterization studies<ref>Chadwick, D.B., Harre, B., Smith, C.F., Groves, J.G., Paulsen, R.J., 2003. Coastal Contaminant Migration Monitoring: The Trident Probe and UltraSeep System. Hardware Description, Protocols, and Procedures. Technical Report 1902. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center.</ref>. The main body of the Trident is comprised of a stainless-steel frame with six hollow probes (Figure 2). Each probe contains a layer of inert glass beads, which filters suspended solids from the sampled water. The water is drawn through each probe into a composite manifold and transported to the rest of the iTIE system using a high-precision peristaltic pump.  
  
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==Treatment Approaches==
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The Trident also includes an adjustable stopper plate, which forms a seal against the sediment and prevents the inadvertent dilution of porewater samples with surface water. (Figure 2). Preliminary laboratory results indicate that the Trident is extremely effective in collecting porewater samples with minimal surface water infiltration in sediments ranging from coarse sand to fine clay. Underwater cameras, sensors, passive samplers, and other auxiliary equipment can be attached to the Trident probe frame to provide supplemental data.
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Compared to more frequently encountered CVOCs such as [[Wikipedia: Trichloroethylene | trichloroethene (TCE)]] and [[Wikipedia: Tetrachloroethylene | tetrachloroethene (PCE)]], TCP is relatively recalcitrant<ref name="Merrill2019">Merrill, J.P., Suchomel, E.J., Varadhan, S., Asher, M., Kane, L.Z., Hawley, E.L., and Deeb, R.A., 2019. Development and Validation of Technologies for Remediation of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane in Groundwater. Current Pollution Reports, 5(4), pp. 228–237.  [https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-019-00122-7 | DOI: 10.1007/s40726-019-00122-7]</ref><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>. TCP is generally resistant to hydrolysis, bioremediation, oxidation, and reduction under natural conditions<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.  The moderate volatility of TCP makes air stripping, air sparging, and soil vapor extraction (SVE) less effective compared to other VOCs<ref name="Merrill2019"/>. Despite these challenges, both ''ex situ'' and ''in situ'' treatment technologies exist. ''Ex situ'' treatment processes are relatively well established and understood but can be cost prohibitive. ''In situ'' treatment methods are comparatively limited and less-well developed, though promising field-scale demonstrations of some ''in situ'' treatment technologies have been conducted.
 
  
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===''Ex Situ'' Treatment===
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Alternatively, practitioners may employ the iTIE system to evaluate site surface water. To sample surface water, weighted intake tubes can collect surface water from the water column using a peristaltic pump.
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The most common ''ex situ'' treatment technology for groundwater contaminated with TCP is groundwater extraction and treatment<ref name="SaminJanssen2012">Samin, G. and Janssen, D.B., 2012. Transformation and biodegradation of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 19(8), pp. 3067-3078. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0859-3 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-012-0859-3]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media:  SaminJanssen2012.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>. Extraction of TCP is generally effective given its relatively high solubility in water and low degree of partitioning to soil. After extraction, TCP is typically removed by adsorption to granular activated carbon (GAC)<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="CalEPA2017">California Environmental Protection Agency, 2017. Groundwater Information Sheet, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP). State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program, 8 pp. Free download from: [http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/docs/coc_tcp123.pdf California Waterboards]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: CalEPA2017tcp123.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
 
  
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TCP contamination in drinking water sources is typically treated using granular activated carbon (GAC)<ref name="Hooker2012">Hooker, E.P., Fulcher, K.G. and Gibb, H.J., 2012. Report to the Hawaii Department of Health, Safe Drinking Water Branch, Regarding the Human Health Risks of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane in Tap Water. [https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.269.2485&rep=rep1&type=pdf Free Download]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Hooker2012.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
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===Oxygen Coil, Overflow Bag and Drip Chamber===
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[[File: CraneFig3.png | thumb | left | 400 px | Figure 3. Contents of the iTIE system cooler. The pictured HDPE rack (47.6 cm length x 29.7 cm width x 33.7 cm height) is removable from the iTIE cooler. Water enters the system at the red circle, flows through the oxygen coil, and then travels to each of the individual iTIE units where diagnostic resins and organisms are located. The water then briefly leaves the cooler to travel through peristaltic regulation pumps before being gathered in sample collection bottles.]]
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Porewater&nbsp;is&nbsp;naturally&nbsp;anoxic due to limited mixing with aerated surface water and high oxygen demand of sediments, which may cause organism mortality and interfere with iTIE results. To preclude this, sampled porewater is exposed to an oxygen coil. This consists of an interior silicone tube connected to a pressurized oxygen canister, threaded through an exterior reinforced PVC tube through which water is slowly pumped (Figure 3). Pump rates are optimized to ensure adequate aeration of the water. In addition to elevating DO levels, the oxygen coil facilitates the oxidation of dissolved sulfides, which naturally occur in some marine sediments and may otherwise cause toxicity to organisms if left in its reduced form.
  
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In California, GAC is considered the best available technology (BAT) for treating TCP, and as of 2017 seven full-scale treatment facilities were using GAC to treat groundwater contaminated with TCP<ref name="CalEPA2017a">California Environmental Protection Agency, 2017. Initial Statement of Reasons 1,2,3-Trichloropropane Maximum Contaminant Level Regulations. Water Resources Control Board, Title 22, California Code of Regulations (SBDDW-17-001). 36 pp.  [https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/123-tcp/sbddw17_001/isor.pdf  Free download]</ref>. Additionally, GAC has been used for over 30 years to treat 60 million gallons per day of TCP-contaminated groundwater in Hawaii<ref name="Babcock2018">Babcock Jr, R.W., Harada, B.K., Lamichhane, K.M., and Tsubota, K.T., 2018. Adsorption of 1, 2, 3-Trichloropropane (TCP) to meet a MCL of 5 ppt. Environmental Pollution, 233, 910-915. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.085  DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.085]</ref>.
+
Gas bubbles may form in the oxygen coil over the course of a deployment. These can be disruptive, decreasing water sample volumes and posing a danger to sensitive organisms like daphnids. To account for this, the water travels to a drip chamber after exiting the oxygen coil, which allows gas bubbles to be separated and diverted to an overflow system. The sample water then flows to a manifold which divides the flow into different paths to each of the treatment units for fractionation and organism exposure.
  
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GAC has a low to moderate adsorption capacity for TCP, which can necessitate larger treatment systems and result in higher treatment costs relative to other organic contaminants<ref name="USEPA2017"/>.  Published Freundlich adsorption isotherm parameters<ref name="SnoeyinkSummers1999">Snoeyink, V.L. and Summers, R.S, 1999. Adsorption of Organic Compounds (Chapter 13), In: Water Quality and Treatment, 5th ed., Letterman, R.D., editor.  McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. ISBN 0-07-001659-3</ref> indicate that less TCP mass is adsorbed per gram of carbon compared to other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), resulting in increased carbon usage rate and treatment cost. Recent bench-scale studies indicate that subbituminous coal-based GAC and coconut shell-based GAC are the most effective types of GAC for treatment of TCP in groundwater<ref name="Babcock2018"/><ref name="Knappe2017">Knappe, D.R.U., Ingham, R.S., Moreno-Barbosa, J.J., Sun, M., Summers, R.S., and Dougherty, T., 2017. Evaluation of Henry’s Law Constants and Freundlich Adsorption Constants for VOCs. Water Research Foundation Project 4462 Final Report. [https://www.waterrf.org/research/projects/evaluation-henrys-law -constant-and-freundlich-adsorption-constant-vocs  Website]</ref>. To develop more economical and effective treatment approaches, further treatability studies with site groundwater (e.g., rapid small-scale column tests) may be needed.  
+
===iTIE Units: Fractionation and Organism Exposure Chambers===
 +
[[File: CraneFig4.png | thumb | 300px | Figure 4. A diagram of the iTIE prototype. Water flows upward into each resin chamber through the unit bottom. After being chemically fractionated in the resin chamber, water travels into the organism chamber, where test organisms have been placed. Water is drawn through the units by high-precision peristaltic pumps.]]
 +
At&nbsp;the&nbsp;core&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;iTIE&nbsp;system are separate dual-chamber iTIE units, each with a resin fractionation chamber and an organism exposure chamber (Figure 4). Developed by Burton ''et al.''<ref name="BurtonEtAl2020"/>, the iTIE prototype is constructed from acrylic, with rubber O-rings to connect each piece. Each iTIE unit can contain a different diagnostic resin matrix, customizable to remove specific chemical classes from the water. Sampled water flows into each unit through the bottom and is differentially fractionated by the resin matrix as it travels upward. Then it reaches the organism chamber, where test organisms are placed for exposure. The organism chamber inlet and outlet are covered by mesh to prevent the escape of the test organisms. This continuous flow-through design allows practitioners to capture the temporal heterogeneity of ambient water conditions over the duration of an ''in situ'' exposure. Currently, the iTIE system can support four independent iTIE treatment units.
  
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===''In Situ'' Treatment===
+
After being exposed to test organisms, water is collected in sample bottles. The bottles can be pre-loaded with preservation reagents to allow for later chemical analysis. Sample bottles can be composed of polyethylene, glass or other materials depending on the CoC.
−
''In situ'' treatment of TCP to concentrations below current regulatory or advisory levels is difficult to achieve in both natural and engineered systems. However, several ''in situ'' treatment technologies have demonstrated promise for TCP remediation, including chemical reduction by zero-valent metals (ZVMs), chemical oxidation with strong oxidizers, and anaerobic bioremediation<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
 
  
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===''In Situ'' Chemical Reduction (ISCR)===
+
===Pumping Sub-system===
−
Reduction of TCP under conditions relevant to natural attenuation has been observed to be negligible. Achieving significant degradation rates of TCP requires the addition of a chemical reductant to the contaminated zone<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.  Under reducing environmental conditions, some ZVMs have demonstrated the ability to reduce TCP all the way to [[wikipedia:Propene | propene]]. As shown in Figure 2, the desirable pathway for reduction of TCP is the formation of [[Wikipedia: Allyl_chloride | 3-chloro-1-propene (also known as allyl chloride)]] via [[Biodegradation_-_Reductive_Processes#Dihaloelimination | dihaloelimination]], which is then rapidly reduced to propene through [[Wikipedia:Hydrogenolysis |  hydrogenolysis]] <ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="Torralba-Sanchez2020">Torralba-Sanchez, T.L., Bylaska, E.J., Salter-Blanc, A.J., Meisenheimer, D.E., Lyon, M.A., and Tratnyek, P.G., 2020. Reduction of 1, 2, 3-trichloropropane (TCP): pathways and mechanisms from computational chemistry calculations. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 22(3), 606-616. [https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00557A DOI: 10.1039/C9EM00557A]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Torralba-Sanchez2020.pdf | Open Access Article]]</ref>. ZVMs including granular zero-valent iron (ZVI), nano ZVI, [[wikipedia: In_situ_chemical_reduction#Bimetallic%20materials | palladized nano ZVI]], and [[wikipedia: In_situ_chemical_reduction#Zero_valent_metals_%28ZVMs%29 | zero-valent zinc (ZVZ)]] have been evaluated by researchers<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>.
+
[[File: CraneFig5.png | thumb | 300px | Figure 5. The iTIE system pumping sub-system. The sub-system consists of: A) a single booster pump, which is directly connected to the water sampling device and feeds water to the rest of the iTIE system, and B) a set of four regulation pumps, which each connect to the outflow of an individual iTIE unit. Each pump set is housed in a waterproof case with self-contained rechargeable battery power. A tablet is mounted inside the lid of the four pump case, which can be used to program and operate all of the pumps when connected to the internet.]]
 +
Water&nbsp;movement&nbsp;through&nbsp;the&nbsp;system is driven by a series of high-precision, programmable peristaltic pumps ([https://ecotechmarine.com/ EcoTech Marine]). Each pump set is housed in a Pelican storm travel case. Power is supplied to each pump by internal rechargeable lithium-iron phosphate batteries ([https://www.bioennopower.com/ Bioenno Power]).
  
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ZVI is a common reductant used for ISCR and, depending on the form used, has shown variable levels of success for TCP treatment. The Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) Project ER-1457 measured the TCP degradation rates for various forms of ZVI and ZVZ.  Nano-scale ZVI and palladized ZVI increased the TCP reduction rate over that of natural attenuation, but the reaction is not anticipated to be fast enough to be useful in typical remediation applications<ref name="Sarathy2010"/>.
+
First, water is supplied to the system by a booster pump (Figure 5A). This pump is situated between the water sampling sub-system and the oxygen coil. The booster pump: 1) facilitates pore water collection, especially from sediments with high fine particle fractions; 2) helps water overcome vertical lifts to travel to the iTIE system; and 3) prevents vacuums from forming in the iTIE system interior, which can accelerate the formation of disruptive gas bubbles in the oxygen coil. The booster pump should be programmed to supply an excess of water to prevent vacuum formation.
  
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Commercial-grade zerovalent zinc (ZVZ) on the other hand is a strong reductant that reduces TCP relatively quickly under a range of laboratory and field conditions to produce propene without significant accumulation of intermediates<ref name="Sarathy2010"/><ref name="Salter-BlancTratnyek2011">Salter-Blanc, A.J. and Tratnyek, P.G., 2011. Effects of Solution Chemistry on the Dechlorination of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane by Zero-Valent Zinc. Environmental Science and Technology, 45(9), pp 4073–4079. [https://doi.org/10.1021/es104081p DOI: 10.1021/es104081p]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Salter-BlancTratnyek2011.pdf | Open access article]]</ref><ref name="Salter-Blanc2012">Salter-Blanc, A.J., Suchomel, E.J., Fortuna, J.H., Nurmi, J.T., Walker, C., Krug, T., O'Hara, S., Ruiz, N., Morley, T. and Tratnyek, P.G., 2012. Evaluation of Zerovalent Zinc for Treatment of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane‐Contaminated Groundwater: Laboratory and Field Assessment. Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation, 32(4), pp.42-52. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01402.x DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-6592.2012.01402.x]</ref><ref name="Merrill2019"/>. Of the ZVMs tested as part of SERDP Project ER-1457, ZVZ had the fastest degradation rates for TCP<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>. In bench-scale studies, TCP was reduced by ZVZ to propene with 3-chloro-1-propene as the only detectable chlorinated intermediate, which was short-lived and detected only at trace concentrations<ref name="Torralba-Sanchez2020"/>.
+
Second, a set of four regulation pumps ensure precise flow rates through each independent iTIE unit (Figure 5B). Each regulation pump pulls water from the top of an iTIE unit and then dispenses that water into a sample bottle for further analysis.
  
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Navy Environmental Sustainability Development to Integration (NESDI) Project 434 conducted bench-scale testing which demonstrated that commercially available ZVZ was effective for treating TCP. Additionally, this project evaluated field-scale ZVZ column treatment of groundwater impacted with TCP at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (MCBCP) in Oceanside, California. This study reported reductions of TCP concentrations by up to 95% which was maintained for at least twelve weeks with influent concentrations ranging from 3.5 to 10 µg/L, without any significant secondary water quality impacts detected<ref name="Salter-Blanc2012"/>.
+
==Study Design Considerations==
 +
===Diagnostic Resin Treatments===
 +
Several commercially available resins have been verified for use in the iTIE system. Investigators can select resins based on stressor classes of interest at each site. Each resin selectively removes a CoC class from site water prior to organism exposure.
 +
*[https://www.dupont.com/products/ambersorb560.html DuPont Ambersorb 560] for removal of 1,4-dioxane and other organic chemicals<ref>Woodard, S., Mohr, T., Nickelsen, M.G., 2014. Synthetic media: A promising new treatment technology for 1,4-dioxane. Remediation Journal, 24(4), pp. 27-40. [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.21402 doi: 10.1002/rem.21402]</ref>
 +
*C18 for nonpolar organic chemicals
 +
*[https://www.bio-rad.com/en-us Bio-Rad] [https://www.bio-rad.com/en-us/product/chelex-100-resin?ID=6448ab3e-b96a-4162-9124-7b7d2330288e Chelex] for metals
 +
*Granular activated carbon for metals, general organic chemicals, sulfide<ref>Lemos, B.R.S., Teixeira, I.F., de Mesquita, J.P., Ribeiro, R.R., Donnici, C.L., Lago, R.M., 2012. Use of modified activated carbon for the oxidation of aqueous sulfide. Carbon, 50(3), pp. 1386-1393. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2011.11.011 doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2011.11.011]</ref>
 +
*[https://www.waters.com/nextgen/us/en.html Waters] [https://www.waters.com/nextgen/us/en/search.html?category=Shop&isocode=en_US&keyword=oasis%20hlb&multiselect=true&page=1&rows=12&sort=best-sellers&xcid=ppc-ppc_23916&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14746094146&gbraid=0AAAAAD_uR00nhlNwrhhegNh06pBODTgiN&gclid=CjwKCAiAtLvMBhB_EiwA1u6_PsppE0raci2IhvGnAAe5ijciNcetLaGZo5qA3g3r4Z_La7YAPJtzShoC6LoQAvD_BwE Oasis HLB] for general organic chemicals<ref name="SteigmeyerEtAl2017"/>
 +
*[https://www.waters.com/nextgen/us/en.html Waters] [https://www.waters.com/nextgen/us/en/search.html?category=All&enableHL=true&isocode=en_US&keyword=Oasis%20WAX%20&multiselect=true&page=1&rows=12&sort=most-relevant Oasis WAX] for PFAS, organic chemicals of mixed polarity<ref>Iannone, A., Carriera, F., Di Fiore, C., Avino, P., 2024. Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Analysis in Environmental Matrices: An Overview of the Extraction and Chromatographic Detection Methods. Analytica, 5(2), pp. 187-202. [https://doi.org/10.3390/analytica5020012 doi: 10.3390/analytica5020012]&nbsp; [[Media: IannoneEtAl2024.pdf | Open Access Article]]</ref>
 +
*Zeolite for ammonia, other organic chemicals
  
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Following the column study, a 2014 pilot study at MCBCP evaluated direct injection of ZVZ with subsequent monitoring. Direct injection of ZVZ was reportedly effective for TCP treatment, with TCP reductions ranging from 90% to 99% in the injection area. Concentration reduction downgradient of the injection area ranged from 50 to 80%. TCP concentrations have continued to decrease, and reducing conditions have been maintained in the aquifer since injection, demonstrating the long-term efficacy of ZVZ for TCP reduction<ref name="Kane2020"/>.
+
Resins must be adequately conditioned prior to use. Otherwise, they may inadequately adsorb toxicants or cause stress to organisms. New resins should be tested for efficacy and toxicity before being used in an iTIE system.  
  
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Potential ''in situ'' applications of ZVZ include direct injection, as demonstrated by the MCBCP pilot study, and permeable reactive barriers (PRBs). Additionally, ZVZ could potentially be deployed in an ''ex situ'' flow-through reactor, but the economic feasibility of this approach would depend in part on the permeability of the aquifer and in part on the cost of the reactor volumes of ZVZ media necessary for complete treatment.
+
===Test Organism Species and Life Stages===
 +
Practitioners can also select different organism species and life stages for use in the iTIE system, depending on site characteristics and study goals. The iTIE system can accommodate various small test organisms, including embryo-stage fish and most macroinvertebrates. The following common toxicity tests can be adapted for application within iTIE systems<ref>U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, 1994. Catalogue of Standard Toxicity Tests for Ecological Risk Assessment. ECO Update, 2(2), 4 pages. Publication No. 9345.0.05I [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/v2no2.pdf Free Download]&nbsp; [[Media: usepa1994.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.
 +
<ul><u>Freshwater acute toxicity:</u></ul>
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Daphnia magna | ''Daphnia magna'']] or [[Wikipedia: Daphnia pulex | ''Daphnia pulex'']] 24-, 48-, and 96-hour survival
 +
<ul><u>Freshwater chronic toxicity:</u></ul>
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Ceriodaphnia dubia | ''Ceriodaphnia dubia'']]  7-day survival and reproduction
 +
*''D. magna'' 7-day survival and reproduction
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Fathead minnow | ''Pimephales promelas'']] 7-day embryo-larval survival and teratogenicity
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Hyalella azteca | ''Hyalella Azteca'']] 10- or 30-day survival and reproduction
 +
<ul><u>Marine acute toxicity:</u></ul>
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Americamysis bahia | ''Americamysis bahia'']] 24- and 48-hour survival
 +
<ul><u>Marine chronic toxicity:</u></ul>
 +
*''Americamysis'' survival, growth and fecundity
 +
*[[Wikipedia: Topsmelt silverside | ''Atherinops affinis'']] embryo-larval survival and growth
  
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===''In Situ'' Chemical Oxidation (ISCO)===
+
Acute toxicity is quantifiable via organism survival rates immediately following the termination of an iTIE system field deployment. Chronic toxicity can be quantified by continuing to culture and observe test organisms in-lab. Common chronic endpoints include stunted growth, altered development such as teratogenicity in larval fish, decreased reproduction rates, and changes in gene expression.  
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Chemical oxidation of TCP with mild oxidants such as permanganate or ozone is ineffective. However, stronger oxidants (e.g. activated peroxide and persulfate) can effectively treat TCP, although the rates are slower than observed for most other organic contaminants<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/><ref name="CalEPA2017"/>. [[Wikipedia: Fenton's reagent | Fenton-like chemistry]] (i.e., Fe(II) activated hydrogen peroxide) has been shown to degrade TCP in the laboratory with half-lives ranging from 5 to 10 hours<ref name="Tratnyek2010"/>, but field-scale demonstrations of this process have not been reported. Treatment of TCP with heat-activated or base-activated persulfate is effective but secondary water quality impacts from high sulfate may be a concern at some locations.
 
  
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===Aerobic Bioremediation===
+
Several gene expression endpoints have been detectable in bioassays following an iTIE system deployment and in-lab culturing period. Steigmeyer ''et al.''<ref name="SteigmeyerEtAl2017"/> were able to detect changes in the expression of two genes in ''D. magna'' after a 24-hour exposure to bisphenol A. In a separate study, Nichols<ref>Nichols, E., 2023. Methods for Identification and Prioritization of Stressors at Impaired Sites. Masters thesis, University of Michigan. University of Michigan Library Deep Blue Documents. [https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/176142/Nichols_Elizabeth_thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Free Download]&nbsp; [[Media: Nichols2023.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref> found a significant decline in acetylcholinesterase activity in ''H. azteca'' after a 24-hour exposure to chlorpyrifos. These results indicate a potential to adapt other gene expression bioassays for use in conjunction with iTIE system field exposures to prove stressor-causality linkages.
−
No naturally occurring microorganisms have been identified that degrade TCP under aerobic conditions<ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>. Relatively slow aerobic cometabolism by the ammonia oxidizing bacterium [[Wikipedia: Nitrosomonas europaea | Nitrosomonas europaea]] and other populations has been reported<ref name="Vanelli1990">Vannelli, T., Logan, M., Arciero, D.M., and Hooper, A.B., 1990. Degradation of Halogenated Aliphatic Compounds by the Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 56(4), pp. 1169–1171. [https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990 DOI: 10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990] Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/epdf/10.1128/aem.56.4.1169-1171.1990 American Society of Microbiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Vannelli1990.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>, and genetic engineering has been used to develop organisms capable of utilizing TCP as a sole carbon source under aerobic conditions<ref name="Bosma2002">Bosma, T., Damborsky, J., Stucki, G., and Janssen, D.B., 2002. Biodegradation of 1,2,3-Trichloropropane through Directed Evolution and Heterologous Expression of a Haloalkane Dehalogenase Gene. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 68(7), pp. 3582–3587. [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002] Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/epub/10.1128/AEM.68.7.3582-3587.2002 American Society for Microbiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Bosma2002.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/><ref name="JanssenStucki2020">Janssen, D. B., and Stucki, G., 2020. Perspectives of genetically engineered microbes for groundwater bioremediation. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, 22(3), pp. 487-499. [https://doi.org/10.1039/C9EM00601J DOI: 10.1039/C9EM00601J] Open access article from: [https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2020/em/c9em00601j Royal Society of Chemistry]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: JanssenStucki2020.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref>.  
 
  
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===Anaerobic Bioremediation===
+
===Cost Effectiveness Study===
−
Like other CVOCs, TCP has been shown to undergo biodegradation under anaerobic conditions via reductive dechlorination by [[Wikipedia:Dehalogenimonas | Dehalogenimonas (Dhg)]] species<ref name="Merrill2019"/><ref name="Yan2009">Yan, J., B.A. Rash, F.A. Rainey, and W.M. Moe, 2009. Isolation of novel bacteria within the Chloroflexi capable of reductive dechlorination of 1,2,3-trichloropropane. Environmental Microbiology, 11(4), pp. 833–843. [https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01804.x DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01804.x]</ref><ref name="Bowman2013">Bowman, K.S., Nobre, M.F., da Costa, M.S., Rainey, F.A., and Moe, W.M., 2013. Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens sp. nov., a chlorinated-alkane-dehalogenating bacterium isolated from groundwater. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 63(Pt_4), pp. 1492-1498. [https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0 DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0]  Free access article from: [https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.045054-0?crawler=true Microbiology Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Bowman2013.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Loffler1997">Loffler, F.E., Champine, J.E., Ritalahti, K.M., Sprague, S.J. and Tiedje, J.M., 1997. Complete Reductive Dechlorination of 1, 2-Dichloropropane by Anaerobic Bacteria. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63(7), pp.2870-2875. Free download from: [https://journals.asm.org/doi/pdf/10.1128/aem.63.7.2870-2875.1997 American Society for Micrebiology]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Loffler1997.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="Moe2019">Moe, W.M., Yan, J., Nobre, M.F., da Costa, M.S. and Rainey, F.A., 2009. Dehalogenimonas lykanthroporepellens gen. nov., sp. nov., a reductively dehalogenating bacterium isolated from chlorinated solvent-contaminated groundwater. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 59(11), pp.2692-2697. [https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0 DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0] Free download from: [https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.011502-0?crawler=true Microbiology Society]&nbsp;&nbsp; [[Media: Moe2009.pdf | Report.pdf]]</ref><ref name="SaminJanssen2012"/>. However, the kinetics are slower than for other CVOCs.  Bioaugmentation cultures containing Dehalogenimonas (KB-1 Plus, SiREM) are commercially available and have been implemented for remediation of TCP-contaminated groundwater<ref name="Schmitt2017">Schmitt, M., Varadhan, S., Dworatzek, S., Webb, J. and Suchomel, E., 2017. Optimization and validation of enhanced biological reduction of 1,2,3-trichloropropane in groundwater. Remediation Journal, 28(1), pp.17-25. [https://doi.org/10.1002/rem.21539 DOI: 10.1002/rem.21539]</ref>. One laboratory study examined the effect of pH on biotransformation of TCP over a wide range of TCP concentrations (10 to 10,000 µg/L) and demonstrated that successful reduction occurred from a pH of 5 to 9, though optimal conditions were from pH 7 to 9<ref name="Schmitt2017"/>.
+
Burton ''et al.''<ref name="BurtonEtAl2020"/> conducted a cost effectiveness study comparing the iTIE technology with the traditional US EPA Phase 1 TIE method. Comparisons were based on the estimated time required to complete various sub-tasks within each method. Sub-tasks included organism care, equipment preparation, mobilization and deployment, test maintenance, test termination, demobilization, and test termination analyses. It was ultimately estimated that the iTIE protocol requires 47% less time (67 fewer hours) to complete than the Phase 1 TIE method, with the largest time differences in equipment preparation, deployment, test maintenance, and demobilization. It is important to note that the iTIE method may require additional initial costs for equipment and training.
  
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As with other microbial cultures capable of reductive dechlorination, coordinated amendment with a fermentable organic substrate (e.g. lactate or vegetable oil), also known as biostimulation, creates reducing conditions in the aquifer and provides a source of hydrogen which is required as the primary electron donor for reductive dechlorination.  
+
==Field Application==
 +
[[File: CraneFig6.png | thumb | left | 400px | Figure 6. iTIES deployment at the Rouge River, Detroit, MI.  In the foreground is the iTIE Cooler Sub-System, which contains iTIE resin treatments and test organism groups, as well as the oxygenation coil and sample collection bottles. Next to the iTIE Cooler are the two pump cases. The Trident can be seen above the pump cases, installed in the river channel near shore.]]
 +
The&nbsp;iTIE&nbsp;system&nbsp;has&nbsp;been successfully deployed at a variety of marine and freshwater sites during the proof-of-concept phase of prototype development. One example is the 2024 iTIE system deployment completed near the mouth of the Rouge River in Detroit, MI (Figure 6). The Rouge River watershed has a long history of industrialization, with a legacy of chemical dumping, channelization, damming, and urban runoff<ref>Ridgway, J., Cave, K., DeMaria, A., O’Meara, J., Hartig, J. H., 2018. The Rouge River Area of Concern—A multi-year, multi-level successful approach to restoration of Impaired Beneficial Uses. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management, 21(4), pp. 398-408. [https://doi.org/10.1080/14634988.2018.1528816 doi: 10.1080/14634988.2018.1528816]</ref>. This has led to degraded environmental conditions, with previous detections of a wide range of chemicals including heavy metals and various organics.
  
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A 2016 field demonstration of ''in situ'' bioremediation (ISB) was performed in California’s Central Valley at a former agricultural chemical site with relatively low TCP concentrations (2 µg/L). The site was first biostimulated by injecting amendments of emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) and lactate, which was followed by bioaugmentation with a microbial consortium containing Dhg. After an initial lag period of six months, TCP concentrations decreased to below laboratory detection limits (<0.005 µg/L)<ref name="Schmitt2017"/>.
+
[[File: CraneFig7.png | thumb | 300px | Figure 7. Survival and healthy development of ''P. promelas'' embryos and larvae following a 48-hour iTIE exposure near the mouth of the Rouge River. Organisms were exposed to site porewater as embryos for 48 hours and cultured post-exposure for an additional 5 days.]]
 +
[[File: CraneFig8.png | thumb | 300px | Figure 8. Survival of ''C. dilutus'' larvae after an iTIE exposure near the mouth of the Rouge River. Organisms were exposed to site porewater for 48 hours and cultured post-exposure for an additional 5 days. Error bars show standard deviation.]]
 +
An&nbsp;iTIE&nbsp;system&nbsp;deployment&nbsp;was designed and completed to determine which chemical classes are most responsible for causing toxicity at the site. Resin treatments included glass wool (inert, non-fractionating substance), Chelex (metals sorption), Oasis HLB (general organics sorption), and Oasis WAX (organics sorption, with a high affinity for PFAS). The study utilized fathead minnow (''P. promelas'') embryos, due to their relative sensitivity to metals and PAHs, as well as second-instar midge ([[Wikipedia: Chironomus |''Chironomus dilutus'']]) larvae due to their relative sensitivity to PFAS.  
  
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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left:10px;text-align:center;"
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The test organisms were exposed to fractionated porewater ''in situ'' for 48 hours. Following exposure, organisms were cultured for an additional five days, and survival was recorded (Figures 7 and 8). Moderate declines in survival were seen in both species in the glass wool treatment, indicating toxicity at the site. For ''P. promelas'', the highest proportion of healthy development occurred in the Chelex treatment, supporting the hypothesis that metals are a dominant cause of toxicity. ''C. dilutus'' had the greatest survival in the Oasis WAX treatment, suggesting that an organic stressor class like PFAS is also present at harmful concentrations in the river.
−
|+Table 2.  Advantages and limitations of TCP treatment technologies<ref name="Kane2020"/>
 
−
|-
 
−
! Technology
 
−
! Advantages
 
−
! Limitations
 
−
|-
 
−
| ZVZ
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
−
* Faster reaction rates than ZVI
 
−
* Material is commercially available
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Higher cost than ZVI
 
−
* Difficult to distribute in subsurface ''in situ'' applications
 
−
|-
 
−
| Groundwater</br>Extraction and</br>Treatment
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Can cost-effectively capture and treat larger, more dilute</br>groundwater plumes than ''in situ'' technologies
 
−
* Well understood and widely applied technology
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Requires construction, operation and maintenance of</br>aboveground treatment infrastructure
 
−
* Typical technologies (e.g. GAC) may be expensive due</br>to treatment inefficiencies
 
−
|-
 
−
| ZVI
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
−
* Lower cost than ZVZ
 
−
* Material is commercially available
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Lower reactivity than ZVZ, therefore may require higher</br>ZVI volumes or thicker PRBs
 
−
* Difficult to distribute in subsurface ''in situ'' applications
 
−
|-
 
−
| ISCO
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Can degrade TCP at relatively high and low concentrations
 
−
* Strategies to distribute amendments ''in situ'' are well established
 
−
* Material is commercially available
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Most effective oxidants (e.g., base-activated or heat-activated</br>persulfate) are complex to implement
 
−
* Secondary water quality impacts (e.g., high pH, sulfate, </br>hexavalent chromium) may limit ability to implement
 
−
|-
 
−
| ''In Situ''</br>Bioremediation
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Can degrade TCP at moderate to high concentrations
 
−
* Strategies to distribute amendments ''in situ'' are well established
 
−
* Materials are commercially available and inexpensive
 
−
| style="text-align:left;" |
 
−
* Slower reaction rates than ZVZ or ISCO
 
−
|}
 
−
The 2016 field demonstration was expanded to full-scale treatment in 2018 with biostimulation and bioaugmentation occurring over several months. The initial TCP concentration in performance monitoring wells ranged from 0.008 to 1.7 µg/L. As with the field demonstration, a lag period of approximately 6 to 8 months was observed before TCP was degraded, after which concentrations declined over fifteen months to non-detectable levels (less than 0.005 µg/L). TCP degradation was associated with increases in Dhg population and propene concentration. Long term monitoring showed that TCP remained at non-detectable levels for at least three years following treatment implementation<ref name="Merrill2019"/>.
 
  
−
==Treatment Comparisons and Considerations==
+
Water chemical analyses of fractionated and unfractionated water samples were completed to support biological results. Analyses were conducted for a range of stressor classes including metals, PAHs, PCBs, an organophosphate pesticide (chlorpyrifos), a PFAS compound (PFOS) and a pyrethroid insecticide (permethrin). Of these analytes, only heavy metals and PFOS were detected. Some chemical classes including PAHs and PCBs were not detected at the site.
−
When selecting a technology for TCP treatment, considerations include technical feasibility, ability to treat to regulated levels, potential secondary water quality impacts and relative costs. A comparison of some TCP treatment technologies is provided in Table 2.  
+
To reach similar conclusions using traditional Phase 1 TIE methods, one would need to complete the following tests: baseline toxicity, filtration, aeration, EDTA, C18 SPE, and methanol elution of C18 SPE. The iTIE method allows the same conclusions to be drawn with significantly less time and effort required.
  
 
==Summary==
 
==Summary==
−
The relatively high toxicity of TCP has led to the development of health-based drinking water concentration values that are very low. TCP is sometimes present in groundwater and in public water systems at concentrations that exceed these health-based goals. While a handful of states have established MCLs for TCP, US federal regulatory determination is hindered by the lack of low-concentration occurrence data. Because TCP is persistent in groundwater and resistant to typical remediation methods (or costly to treat), specialized strategies may be needed to meet drinking-water-based treatment goals.  ''In situ'' chemical reduction (ISCR) with zero valent zinc (ZVZ) and ''in situ'' bioremediation have been demonstrated to be effective for TCP remediation.
+
The ''in situ'' Toxicity Identification Evaluation technology and protocol is a powerful tool that investigators can use to strengthen causal linkages between chemical stressors and ecological toxicity. By fractionating sampled water and exposing test organisms ''in situ'', investigators can gather toxicity response data while minimizing sample manipulation and accurately representing environmental conditions.
 +
<br clear="right"/>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 176: Line 111:
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
−
ATSDR Toxicological Profile: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/TP.asp?id=912&tid=186
 
−
 
−
EPA Technical Fact Sheet: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminant_tcp_january2014_final.pdf
 
−
 
−
Cal/EPA State Water Resources Control Board Groundwater Information Sheet: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/gama/docs/coc_tcp123.pdf
 
−
 
−
California Water Boards Fact Sheet: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/documents/123-tcp/123tcp_factsheet.pdf
 

Latest revision as of 16:10, 3 March 2026

In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE)

The in situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation system is a tool to incorporate in weight-of-evidence studies at sites with numerous chemical toxicant classes present. The technology works by continuously sampling site water, immediately fractionating the water using diagnostic sorptive resins, and then exposing test organisms to the water to observe toxicity responses with minimal sample manipulation. It is compatible with various resins, test organisms, and common acute and chronic toxicity tests, and can be deployed at sites with a wide variety of physical and logistical considerations.

Related Article(s):

Contributors: Dr. G. Allen Burton Jr., Austin Crane

Key Resources:

  • A Novel In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) System for Determining which Chemicals Drive Impairments at Contaminated Sites[1]
  • An in situ toxicity identification and evaluation water analysis system: Laboratory validation[2]
  • Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) Phases I, II, and III Guidance Document[3]
  • In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) Technology for Assessing Contaminated Sediments, Remediation Success, Recontamination and Source Identification[4]

Introduction

In waterways impacted by numerous naturally occurring and anthropogenic chemical stressors, it is crucial for environmental practitioners to be able to identify which chemical classes are causing the highest degrees of toxicity to aquatic life. Previously developed methods, including the Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) protocol developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)[5], can be confounded by sample manipulation artifacts and temporal limitations of ex situ organism exposures[1]. These factors may disrupt causal linkages and mislead investigators during site characterization and management decision-making. The in situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) technology was developed to allow users to strengthen stressor-causality linkages and rank chemical classes of concern at impaired sites, with high degrees of ecological realism.

The technology has undergone a series of improvements in recent years, with the most recent prototype being robust, operable in a wide variety of site conditions, and cost-effective compared to alternative site characterization methods[6][7][1][2]. The latest prototype can be used in any of the following settings: in marine, estuarine, or freshwater sites; to study surface water or sediment pore water; in shallow waters easily accessible by foot or in deep waters only accessible by pier or boat. It can be used to study sites impacted by a wide variety of stressors including ammonia, metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), among others. The technology is applicable to studies of acute toxicity via organism survival or of chronic toxicity via responses in growth, reproduction, or gene expression[1].

System Components and Validation

Figure 1: A schematic diagram of the iTIE system prototype. The system is divided into three sub-systems: 1) the Pore Water/Surface Water Collection Sub-System (blue); 2) the Pumping Sub-System (red); and 3) the iTIE Resin, Exposure, and Sampling Sub-System (green). Water first enters the system through the Pore Water/Surface Water Collection Sub-System. Porewater can be collected using Trident-style probes, or surface water can be collected using a simple weighted probe. The water is composited in a manifold before being pumped to the rest of the iTIE system by the booster pump. Once in the iTIE Resin, Exposure, and Sampling Sub-System, the water is gently oxygenated by the Oxygen Coil, separated from gas bubbles by the Drip Chamber, and diverted to separate iTIE Resin and Exposure Chambers (or iTIE units) by the Splitting Manifold. Water movement through each iTIE unit is controlled by a dedicated Regulation Pump. Finally, the water is gathered in Sample Collection bottles for analysis.

The latest iTIE prototype consists of an array of sorptive resins that differentially fractionate sampled water, and a series of corresponding flow-through organism chambers that receive the treated water in situ. Resin treatments can be selected depending on the chemicals suspected to be present at each site to selectively sequester certain chemical of concern (CoC) classes from the whole water, leaving a smaller subset of chemicals in the resulting water fraction for chemical and toxicological characterization. Test organism species and life stages can also be chosen depending on factors including site characteristics and study goals. In the full iTIE protocol, site water is continuously sampled either from the sediment pore spaces or the water column at a site, gently oxygenated, diverted to different iTIE units for fractionation and organism exposure, and collected in sample bottles for off-site chemical analysis (Figure 1). All iTIE system components are housed within waterproof Pelican cases, which allow for ease of transport and temperature control.

Porewater and Surface Water Collection Sub-system

Figure 2: a) Trident probe with auxiliary sensors attached, b) a Trident probe with end caps removed (the red arrow identifies the intermediate space where glass beads are packed to filter suspended solids), c) a Trident probe being installed using a series of push poles and a fence post driver

Given the importance of sediment porewater to ecosystem structure and function, investigators may employ the iTIE system to evaluate the toxic effects associated with the impacted sediment porewater. To accomplish this, the iTIE system utilizes the Trident probe, originally developed for Department of Defense site characterization studies[8]. The main body of the Trident is comprised of a stainless-steel frame with six hollow probes (Figure 2). Each probe contains a layer of inert glass beads, which filters suspended solids from the sampled water. The water is drawn through each probe into a composite manifold and transported to the rest of the iTIE system using a high-precision peristaltic pump.

The Trident also includes an adjustable stopper plate, which forms a seal against the sediment and prevents the inadvertent dilution of porewater samples with surface water. (Figure 2). Preliminary laboratory results indicate that the Trident is extremely effective in collecting porewater samples with minimal surface water infiltration in sediments ranging from coarse sand to fine clay. Underwater cameras, sensors, passive samplers, and other auxiliary equipment can be attached to the Trident probe frame to provide supplemental data.

Alternatively, practitioners may employ the iTIE system to evaluate site surface water. To sample surface water, weighted intake tubes can collect surface water from the water column using a peristaltic pump.

Oxygen Coil, Overflow Bag and Drip Chamber

Figure 3. Contents of the iTIE system cooler. The pictured HDPE rack (47.6 cm length x 29.7 cm width x 33.7 cm height) is removable from the iTIE cooler. Water enters the system at the red circle, flows through the oxygen coil, and then travels to each of the individual iTIE units where diagnostic resins and organisms are located. The water then briefly leaves the cooler to travel through peristaltic regulation pumps before being gathered in sample collection bottles.

Porewater is naturally anoxic due to limited mixing with aerated surface water and high oxygen demand of sediments, which may cause organism mortality and interfere with iTIE results. To preclude this, sampled porewater is exposed to an oxygen coil. This consists of an interior silicone tube connected to a pressurized oxygen canister, threaded through an exterior reinforced PVC tube through which water is slowly pumped (Figure 3). Pump rates are optimized to ensure adequate aeration of the water. In addition to elevating DO levels, the oxygen coil facilitates the oxidation of dissolved sulfides, which naturally occur in some marine sediments and may otherwise cause toxicity to organisms if left in its reduced form.

Gas bubbles may form in the oxygen coil over the course of a deployment. These can be disruptive, decreasing water sample volumes and posing a danger to sensitive organisms like daphnids. To account for this, the water travels to a drip chamber after exiting the oxygen coil, which allows gas bubbles to be separated and diverted to an overflow system. The sample water then flows to a manifold which divides the flow into different paths to each of the treatment units for fractionation and organism exposure.

iTIE Units: Fractionation and Organism Exposure Chambers

Figure 4. A diagram of the iTIE prototype. Water flows upward into each resin chamber through the unit bottom. After being chemically fractionated in the resin chamber, water travels into the organism chamber, where test organisms have been placed. Water is drawn through the units by high-precision peristaltic pumps.

At the core of the iTIE system are separate dual-chamber iTIE units, each with a resin fractionation chamber and an organism exposure chamber (Figure 4). Developed by Burton et al.[1], the iTIE prototype is constructed from acrylic, with rubber O-rings to connect each piece. Each iTIE unit can contain a different diagnostic resin matrix, customizable to remove specific chemical classes from the water. Sampled water flows into each unit through the bottom and is differentially fractionated by the resin matrix as it travels upward. Then it reaches the organism chamber, where test organisms are placed for exposure. The organism chamber inlet and outlet are covered by mesh to prevent the escape of the test organisms. This continuous flow-through design allows practitioners to capture the temporal heterogeneity of ambient water conditions over the duration of an in situ exposure. Currently, the iTIE system can support four independent iTIE treatment units.

After being exposed to test organisms, water is collected in sample bottles. The bottles can be pre-loaded with preservation reagents to allow for later chemical analysis. Sample bottles can be composed of polyethylene, glass or other materials depending on the CoC.

Pumping Sub-system

Figure 5. The iTIE system pumping sub-system. The sub-system consists of: A) a single booster pump, which is directly connected to the water sampling device and feeds water to the rest of the iTIE system, and B) a set of four regulation pumps, which each connect to the outflow of an individual iTIE unit. Each pump set is housed in a waterproof case with self-contained rechargeable battery power. A tablet is mounted inside the lid of the four pump case, which can be used to program and operate all of the pumps when connected to the internet.

Water movement through the system is driven by a series of high-precision, programmable peristaltic pumps (EcoTech Marine). Each pump set is housed in a Pelican storm travel case. Power is supplied to each pump by internal rechargeable lithium-iron phosphate batteries (Bioenno Power).

First, water is supplied to the system by a booster pump (Figure 5A). This pump is situated between the water sampling sub-system and the oxygen coil. The booster pump: 1) facilitates pore water collection, especially from sediments with high fine particle fractions; 2) helps water overcome vertical lifts to travel to the iTIE system; and 3) prevents vacuums from forming in the iTIE system interior, which can accelerate the formation of disruptive gas bubbles in the oxygen coil. The booster pump should be programmed to supply an excess of water to prevent vacuum formation.

Second, a set of four regulation pumps ensure precise flow rates through each independent iTIE unit (Figure 5B). Each regulation pump pulls water from the top of an iTIE unit and then dispenses that water into a sample bottle for further analysis.

Study Design Considerations

Diagnostic Resin Treatments

Several commercially available resins have been verified for use in the iTIE system. Investigators can select resins based on stressor classes of interest at each site. Each resin selectively removes a CoC class from site water prior to organism exposure.

Resins must be adequately conditioned prior to use. Otherwise, they may inadequately adsorb toxicants or cause stress to organisms. New resins should be tested for efficacy and toxicity before being used in an iTIE system.

Test Organism Species and Life Stages

Practitioners can also select different organism species and life stages for use in the iTIE system, depending on site characteristics and study goals. The iTIE system can accommodate various small test organisms, including embryo-stage fish and most macroinvertebrates. The following common toxicity tests can be adapted for application within iTIE systems[12].

    Freshwater acute toxicity:
    Freshwater chronic toxicity:
    Marine acute toxicity:
    Marine chronic toxicity:
  • Americamysis survival, growth and fecundity
  • Atherinops affinis embryo-larval survival and growth

Acute toxicity is quantifiable via organism survival rates immediately following the termination of an iTIE system field deployment. Chronic toxicity can be quantified by continuing to culture and observe test organisms in-lab. Common chronic endpoints include stunted growth, altered development such as teratogenicity in larval fish, decreased reproduction rates, and changes in gene expression.

Several gene expression endpoints have been detectable in bioassays following an iTIE system deployment and in-lab culturing period. Steigmeyer et al.[2] were able to detect changes in the expression of two genes in D. magna after a 24-hour exposure to bisphenol A. In a separate study, Nichols[13] found a significant decline in acetylcholinesterase activity in H. azteca after a 24-hour exposure to chlorpyrifos. These results indicate a potential to adapt other gene expression bioassays for use in conjunction with iTIE system field exposures to prove stressor-causality linkages.

Cost Effectiveness Study

Burton et al.[1] conducted a cost effectiveness study comparing the iTIE technology with the traditional US EPA Phase 1 TIE method. Comparisons were based on the estimated time required to complete various sub-tasks within each method. Sub-tasks included organism care, equipment preparation, mobilization and deployment, test maintenance, test termination, demobilization, and test termination analyses. It was ultimately estimated that the iTIE protocol requires 47% less time (67 fewer hours) to complete than the Phase 1 TIE method, with the largest time differences in equipment preparation, deployment, test maintenance, and demobilization. It is important to note that the iTIE method may require additional initial costs for equipment and training.

Field Application

Figure 6. iTIES deployment at the Rouge River, Detroit, MI. In the foreground is the iTIE Cooler Sub-System, which contains iTIE resin treatments and test organism groups, as well as the oxygenation coil and sample collection bottles. Next to the iTIE Cooler are the two pump cases. The Trident can be seen above the pump cases, installed in the river channel near shore.

The iTIE system has been successfully deployed at a variety of marine and freshwater sites during the proof-of-concept phase of prototype development. One example is the 2024 iTIE system deployment completed near the mouth of the Rouge River in Detroit, MI (Figure 6). The Rouge River watershed has a long history of industrialization, with a legacy of chemical dumping, channelization, damming, and urban runoff[14]. This has led to degraded environmental conditions, with previous detections of a wide range of chemicals including heavy metals and various organics.

Figure 7. Survival and healthy development of P. promelas embryos and larvae following a 48-hour iTIE exposure near the mouth of the Rouge River. Organisms were exposed to site porewater as embryos for 48 hours and cultured post-exposure for an additional 5 days.
Figure 8. Survival of C. dilutus larvae after an iTIE exposure near the mouth of the Rouge River. Organisms were exposed to site porewater for 48 hours and cultured post-exposure for an additional 5 days. Error bars show standard deviation.

An iTIE system deployment was designed and completed to determine which chemical classes are most responsible for causing toxicity at the site. Resin treatments included glass wool (inert, non-fractionating substance), Chelex (metals sorption), Oasis HLB (general organics sorption), and Oasis WAX (organics sorption, with a high affinity for PFAS). The study utilized fathead minnow (P. promelas) embryos, due to their relative sensitivity to metals and PAHs, as well as second-instar midge (Chironomus dilutus) larvae due to their relative sensitivity to PFAS.

The test organisms were exposed to fractionated porewater in situ for 48 hours. Following exposure, organisms were cultured for an additional five days, and survival was recorded (Figures 7 and 8). Moderate declines in survival were seen in both species in the glass wool treatment, indicating toxicity at the site. For P. promelas, the highest proportion of healthy development occurred in the Chelex treatment, supporting the hypothesis that metals are a dominant cause of toxicity. C. dilutus had the greatest survival in the Oasis WAX treatment, suggesting that an organic stressor class like PFAS is also present at harmful concentrations in the river.

Water chemical analyses of fractionated and unfractionated water samples were completed to support biological results. Analyses were conducted for a range of stressor classes including metals, PAHs, PCBs, an organophosphate pesticide (chlorpyrifos), a PFAS compound (PFOS) and a pyrethroid insecticide (permethrin). Of these analytes, only heavy metals and PFOS were detected. Some chemical classes including PAHs and PCBs were not detected at the site. To reach similar conclusions using traditional Phase 1 TIE methods, one would need to complete the following tests: baseline toxicity, filtration, aeration, EDTA, C18 SPE, and methanol elution of C18 SPE. The iTIE method allows the same conclusions to be drawn with significantly less time and effort required.

Summary

The in situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation technology and protocol is a powerful tool that investigators can use to strengthen causal linkages between chemical stressors and ecological toxicity. By fractionating sampled water and exposing test organisms in situ, investigators can gather toxicity response data while minimizing sample manipulation and accurately representing environmental conditions.

References

  1. ^ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Burton, G.A., Cervi, E.C., Meyer, K., Steigmeyer, A., Verhamme, E., Daley, J., Hudson, M., Colvin, M., Rosen, G., 2020. A novel In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) System for Determining which Chemicals Drive Impairments at Contaminated Sites. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(9), pp. 1746-1754. doi: 10.1002/etc.4799
  2. ^ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Steigmeyer, A.J., Zhang, J., Daley, J.M., Zhang, X., Burton, G.A. Jr., 2017. An in situ toxicity identification and evaluation water analysis system: Laboratory validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 36(6), pp. 1636-1643. doi: 10.1002/etc.3696
  3. ^ United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2007. Sediment Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) Phases I, II, and III Guidance Document, EPA/600/R-07/080. 145 pages. Free Download  Report.pdf
  4. ^ In Situ Toxicity Identification Evaluation (iTIE) Technology for Assessing Contaminated Sediments, Remediation Success, Recontamination and Source Identification Project Website  Final Report.pdf
  5. ^ Norberg-King, T., Mount, D.I., Amato, J.R., Jensen, D.A., Thompson, J.A., 1992. Toxicity identification evaluation: Characterization of chronically toxic effluents: Phase I. Publication No. EPA/600/6-91/005F. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. Free Download from US EPA  Report.pdf
  6. ^ Burton, G.A. Jr., Nordstrom, J.F., 2004. An in situ toxicity identification evaluation method part I: Laboratory validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(12), pp. 2844-2850. doi: 10.1897/03-409.1
  7. ^ Burton, G.A. Jr., Nordstrom, J.F., 2004. An in situ toxicity identification evaluation method part II: Field validation. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23(12), pp. 2851-2855. doi: 10.1897/03-468.1
  8. ^ Chadwick, D.B., Harre, B., Smith, C.F., Groves, J.G., Paulsen, R.J., 2003. Coastal Contaminant Migration Monitoring: The Trident Probe and UltraSeep System. Hardware Description, Protocols, and Procedures. Technical Report 1902. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center.
  9. ^ Woodard, S., Mohr, T., Nickelsen, M.G., 2014. Synthetic media: A promising new treatment technology for 1,4-dioxane. Remediation Journal, 24(4), pp. 27-40. doi: 10.1002/rem.21402
  10. ^ Lemos, B.R.S., Teixeira, I.F., de Mesquita, J.P., Ribeiro, R.R., Donnici, C.L., Lago, R.M., 2012. Use of modified activated carbon for the oxidation of aqueous sulfide. Carbon, 50(3), pp. 1386-1393. doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2011.11.011
  11. ^ Iannone, A., Carriera, F., Di Fiore, C., Avino, P., 2024. Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Analysis in Environmental Matrices: An Overview of the Extraction and Chromatographic Detection Methods. Analytica, 5(2), pp. 187-202. doi: 10.3390/analytica5020012  Open Access Article
  12. ^ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, 1994. Catalogue of Standard Toxicity Tests for Ecological Risk Assessment. ECO Update, 2(2), 4 pages. Publication No. 9345.0.05I Free Download  Report.pdf
  13. ^ Nichols, E., 2023. Methods for Identification and Prioritization of Stressors at Impaired Sites. Masters thesis, University of Michigan. University of Michigan Library Deep Blue Documents. Free Download  Report.pdf
  14. ^ Ridgway, J., Cave, K., DeMaria, A., O’Meara, J., Hartig, J. H., 2018. The Rouge River Area of Concern—A multi-year, multi-level successful approach to restoration of Impaired Beneficial Uses. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management, 21(4), pp. 398-408. doi: 10.1080/14634988.2018.1528816

See Also

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