General guidelines: HW is due by the date and time specified in class. Unless otherwise indicated, all homework is to be typed, single-sided, double-spaced, and with 1” margins on all four sides. Use a Times 12 font. Do not use a cover page; include your name, the HW assignment number, the class number, and the year in a header, right justified. When in doubt, check spelling and grammar. Do not email assignments, turn in a paper copy. Posted materials described in the homework assignments will be found on my door or on a bulletin board near my office.
 

HW 1 Participation (10 points)

Participate in class. This means asking and answering questions. At the end of the semester, I'll assign a grade for this homework assignment based on my perception of your class involvement.
 

HW 2 Critical Review

Sign up for one of the topics given below (using the in-class sign-up sheet) based on your background and interests. The number of students that can sign up for a given topic is indicated by the lines on the sign-up sheet (1 or 2).

a. Fate and transport of hazardous wastes in the subsurface, surface waters, or air.
b. Toxicology of hazardous substances
c. Environmental audits
d. Pollution prevention (of hazardous waste at commercial or industrial sites)
e. Physico-chemical processes for the treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes
f. Biological processes for the treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes
g. Stabilization and Solidification of hazardous wastes
h. Thermal Methods for the destruction of hazardous wastes
i. Land Disposal of hazardous wastes
j. Risk assessment of hazardous waste sites
k. Site and subsurface characterization of hazardous waste sites
l. Containment of hazardous waste at contaminated sites
m. Remedial Alternatives Analysis for selection of remediation methods at contaminated sites

Students enrolled in 431 only (10 points)

When you find your article, check the posted article sign-up list to make sure no other student has claimed the article. If it is unclaimed, add yours to the list (please follow the format indicated). You may need to use interlibrary-loan to get the article; do it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Read the article and write a 1 to 2 page summary. This summary should include the goal and objectives of the article, the methods used, the results, and a critical discussion of the results and conclusions. Be prepared to discuss the article in class, when we get to the appropriate topic. You must turn in your summary BEFORE we cover the material in class, preferably one week before.

Students enrolled in 531 only (50 Points)

Write a 15 to 20 page paper on your topic. This paper should be based on at least 10 scholarly articles, reports, book chapters, etc. You will probably need to use interlibrary loan; order your documents this week! Come see me if you have problems finding articles. You may also use the Internet, but make sure you only use valid sites. Run your list of articles by me ASAP to make sure you are on the right track. The paper should follow the outline:
? Introduction - briefly introduce the focus area, state the purpose/goal of the paper, and describe the remaining sections of the paper;
? Literature Review - summarize what you’ve learned from your review of literature; and
? Discussion - based on your literature review discuss past trends, the current state-of-the-art and expected future trends, also point out important concepts, strengths, deficiencies, etc.
The paper will be due during the last class period. Be prepared to discuss your findings in class.
 

HW 3 State Hazardous Waste Information (10 points)

Using the State you selected in class (in-class sign-up sheet), answer the following questions.
1.  How many HW Large Quantity Generators were in your State in 1995? What was the total amount of hazardous waste generated?
2.  List the top 10 generators in 1995 in your state along with the amount of HW each generated. What % is this of the total for your State? What kinds of companies are among the top ten?
3.  Determine and report how many treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities were in your State in 1995. How much waste do they handle? Is your state a net importer or exporter of hazardous waste?
4. Determine and report how many transporters were in your State in 1995.
5. Find the list of the top 50 generators in the US. How much waste do they generate? What percent is this of the HW generated in the US?

How to find this information:
You’ll need to find the publications page for the EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. Go to the EPA WWW homepage (www.epa.gov); then use the following links: ‘Offices, Labs, and Regions’; ‘Offices’; ‘Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response’; ‘Solid and Hazardous Waste’; ‘Publications’; and ‘N’. From this page you can find the National Biennial RCRA Hazardous Waste Report based on 1995 Data. It is split into a number of separate documents, each with a separate link. The best way to view is with Adobe Acrobat. First, use the State Summary to answer many of the questions. Then answer the rest using the National Analysis.
 

 HW 4 Superfund Sites by State (15 points)

Using the State you selected in class (in-class sign-up sheet), answer the following questions.
1.  How many national priorities list (NPL) sites are in your State? (If it is less than ten, find the posted state list and claim another--unclaimed--State. Keep doing this until you find a state with at least 10 sites, then use that State to complete this assignment)
2.  Determine and report how many sites (if any) are proposed for addition to the NPL in your State.
3.  Read the Fact Sheets for 10 sites in your State and summarize your findings. Using Tables and text, describe number and types of: (a) facilities (e.g. landfill, chemical plant, etc.); (b) contamination (e.g. the kinds of chemicals); and (c) contaminated media (soil, water, air). This should be no longer than 4 pages for all 10 sites.
4.  Read the record of decision (ROD) abstract for 3 sites in your State and describe the cause of contamination (facility type, activities, contaminants), the media contaminated (soil, water, air), the risks (exposure pathways, populations at risk), and recommended remediation activities. This should be no more than 1 page for each site (single-sided, double-spaced, with 1” margins).

How to find this information:
You’ll need to find the site information page for Superfund. Go to the EPA WWW homepage (www.epa.gov); then use the following links: ‘Offices, Labs, and Regions’; ‘Offices’; ‘Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response’; ‘Superfund’; ‘Site Information’. For questions 1 and 2 go to ‘Map of NPL Sites’ and click on your state in the state list found below the map. For questions 3 and 4, go to ‘Reports and Downloadable Files’ and select ‘Fact Sheets’ (3) or ‘ROD Abstracts by State’ (4).
 

HW 5 ROD Printout (5 points)

For the rest of the semester, some of the homework assignments will concern a single Superfund site, which you will select from within your "state". For example, you will summarize the ROD, discuss the site characterization, and discuss the selected remediation method.

In this homework assignment, you will simply identify a site for which a ROD has been published, print the complete ROD as found on the Superfund Public Information System (SPIS) CD, and submit a printout to me (it will be returned). Pick an interesting site (multiple contaminants, multiple contaminated media, interesting selected remedy(s)), or I may require you to select another one. Don’t pick a site that is only contaminated by asbestos. Pick a recent ROD, if possible.

 How to get a ROD:

1.  Borrow the SPIS CD from Dr. E. Do this as early as possible, as I only have one copy. Do not loose it! Return it as soon as possible, say within an hour!!
2.  Put the CD in a computer CD drive.
3.  Double click (DC) on the ‘Setup’ file on the SPIS CD.
4.  Select ‘continue’, then ‘copy to and run from local drive’, then ‘continue’ again, then ‘copy info base to local drive’, then ‘continue’ again, then ‘continue’ one last time. You are now ready to access the SPIS database.
5.  Select ‘Start’, ‘Spis’, then ‘Infobase_SPIS’ to get into the SPIS database. DC on the RODS button, then DC on the ‘State Browse’ button, then DC on your state. If you get a window that indicates that computer couldn’t find the ROD data file, change the drive to the CD drive, open the SPIS folder, and DC the only file with the word ROD in it.
6.  Find your superfund site by double clicking on the ‘Previous Record’ and ‘Next Record’ buttons. Navigate through the database by double clicking on buttons. This is one way to move through the RODs. You can also conduct a query on the site name, this may get you to your ROD. Note: the term ‘Record’ is use to indicate both a Superfund Site’s ROD (i.e., the Previous Record and Next Record buttons) and a small section of a ROD (record numbers shown in the bottom left of the display window). You’ll need record numbers if you want to directly print your ROD (step 7). However, I suggest that you cut and paste your ROD into a Word document. Once in word, you can save it, change its format to take up fewer pages, and print it.
7.  To directly print your ROD, first determine the first and last record number of the ROD. Go to the very beginning of the ROD, place the cursor at the beginning and look at the record number (remember, bottom left corner of display), then go to the next Record (use the ‘next Record’ button) and do the same thing; the last record number for your site is one less than this. Now, click on the file menu and select print. Change the ‘From’ and ‘To’ record number in the print window to the record numbers you just determined. Important: most RODs are 10 - 40 pages: YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO PRINT IT OUT ON THE NETWORK (AT LEAST NOT WITHOUT MAKING IT SHORTER IN WORD). If you have a problem with printing, come see me.
 

HW 6 ROD Review (10 points)

Read your ROD. Turn in a 2 - 3 page (single-sided, double-spaced, with 1” margins) summary of the site. This summary should include a site history, site description, the chemical(s) of concern, the media(s) of concern, a description of site characterization activities, a list of the remediation alternatives considered, and a description of the selected remediation strategy.
 

 HW 7 Chemicals of Concern at Your Site (10 points)

Create a Table describing the chemicals of concern at your superfund site. The columns headings are: Chemicals of concern; Chemical formula; Molecular weight; Water solubility; Henry's constant; Koc; and Log Kow. To obtain this data, use Appendix A in your textbook. If the data is not in Appendix A, put NA (for not available) in the Table. At the bottom of the Table, indicate that "NA" means data not available.

Using your Chemicals of Concern Table, answer these questions based on the available data (Note the order of the questions follows the order of the Table columns):

1.  Which chemical is most likely to migrate dissolved in groundwater?
2.  Which chemical is the most volatile when in a dilute water based solution?
3.  Which chemical is most likely to sorb to a soil with a significant organic carbon fraction?
4.  Which chemical is most hydrophilic?
 

HW 8 Contaminants at your site (10 points)

Answer these questions concerning fate and transport at your Superfund site.

1. Contaminant Release:
a. In what phases (gas, water, solid) were contaminants released?
b. Describe the release(s), e.g., how they occurred, over what time period, over what area, etc.
2. Contaminant Transport:
a. Describe the site aquifer(s) (depth to water, unconfined versus confined,...).
b. What kinds of sediments are present? Is the subsurface heterogeneous or homogeneous with respect to sediment type (clay,silt, sand,...) and hydraulic conductivity?
3. Contaminant Fate
a. Is there still a subsurface source of contaminant at the site (e.g., a residual or free phase located in the subsurface)?
b. Is there a plume of dissolved contaminants at the site? How far does is extend?
4. Extra Credit (5 points)
a. Which of the contaminants at your site are LNAPLS? Which are DNAPLS?
b. Report any transport parameters given in your ROD (e.g., hydraulic conductivy, hydraulic gradient,...)
c. Report any fate parameters given in your ROD (partition coefficients, reaction rates,...)
 

 HW 9 Chemical Toxicity at your site (10 points)

Create a Table describing the toxicity of the chemicals of concern at your superfund site. The columns headings are: Chemical of concern; Chemical formula; Oral RfD, Inhalation RfD, Oral CPF, Inahlation CPF, Carcinogen Classification. To obtain this data, use Appendix B in your textbook. If the Chemical is not in Appendix B, put NA (for not available) in the Table. At the bottom of the Table, indicate that "NA" means data not available. Otherwise, put whatever  information you find in Appendix B in your Table.

Using your Chemical Toxicity Table, answer these questions (Note the order of the questions corresponds to the order of the Table columns):

1.  Which chemical causes a non-carcinogenic effect at the lowest oral concentration?
2. Which chemical causes a non-carcinogenic effect at the lowest inhalation concentration?
3. Which chemical causes a carcinogenic effect at the lowest oral concentration?
4. Which chemical causes a carcinogenic effect at the lowest inhalation concentration?
5. Are any of the chemicals at your site known human carcinogens? Are any probable or possible human carcinogens? If so, name the chemical and indicate what type it is.
6. Why aren't dermal RfDs and CPFs given in Appendix B?
 

HW 10 Innovative Remediation Technology Review (10 points)

1.  Claim an innovative remediation technolgy (in-class sign-up). This sheet will be posted.
2. Obtain the EPA Citizen's Guide to Innovative Treatment Technologies and the Citizen's guide for the treatment technology you chose (http://clu-in.com; then ‘remediation’; then ‘publications’). You can do this by viewing the guide on line or downloading an Adobe Acrobat file.
3. Using your Guide as a resource, write a 1 or more page introduction to the technology. Your introduction should cover: (1) the technology's applicability, (2) how applicability is determined, and (3) how the technology works. EXTRA CREDIT (5 points): find 1 or more scholarly articles on the technology and incorporate them into your document (don't forget to reference!).

The Technologies:
Bioremediation
Chemical Dehalogenation
In situ Soil Flushing
Natural Attenuation
Phytoremediation
Soil Vapor Extraction &Air Sparging
Soil Washing
Solvent Extraction
Treatment Walls

 HW 11 Waste Minimization Assessment (10 points)

1. Go to the Waste Minimization Assessment (WMA) site on the EPA Web-page (http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/research/wmin/wmin.html).
2. Use your WMA number (given in class) to identify your Waste Minimization Assessment. Count down the list of WMAs until you reach your number. For example, if your number is 10, your WMA would be "For a Manufacturer of Aerial Lifts".
3. Read your WMA and summarize it in less than 1 page. Be sure to describe (briefly): the assessment methodology; manufacturing processes; present waste generation and waste minimization; and waste minimization opportunities. If all of the waste minimization opportunities are implemented, how much money will the facility save per year (ignore the cost of implementation)? Discuss reasons for and against implementing the waste minimization opportunities. Be complete, discuss economic and non-economic reasons.
 

HW 12 Problems (15 Points)

Do the following problems from the textbook: 9-2, 9-14 (use data from Chapter 9), 9-19.
 

HW 13 Remediation Technologies Appropriate to Your Site (15 Points)

In five pages or less describe remediation (including stabilization) technologies applicable for use at your Superfund site. Your grade will be based on (1) how well you present the information (clearness, etc.), and (2) your demonstration of knowledge of remediation technologies.

As part of this report:
1.  Provide a table for your site with the columns: contaminant; contaminant type (e.g., VOC, semi-volatiles, metals, etc.); media contaminated by the contaminant (e.g., groundwater, surface water, sediment above water table, sediment below water table, etc.); and the concentration of the contaminant in the media (if available).
2.  In a second table, list contaminant type and possible general remediation technologies (e.g., bioremediation, stabilization, incineration, off-site landfill, etc.).
3.  Name and describe specific technologies that could be applied to your site, for two combinations of contaminant type and contaminated media. For example, you could discuss remediation technologies for (1) VOC contaminated sediments above the water table and (2) semi-VOC contaminated groundwater. The combinations should require different remediation technologies. If you only have one "combination" at your site, make-up a combination (be sure to identify it as a made-up combination). Try to cover costs, dependability, advantages, and disadvantages.

 Suggested Resources:
? Course Notes and your text
? The EPA Citizens guides and related material
? Books in the library
? Scholarly articles
? The Internet, for example
? www.epa.gov/oerrpage/superfund/resources/rules/index.htm (Rules of Thumb)
? www.em.doe.gov/define/index.html (Use the ‘Remediation Technologies Screening Matrix and Reference Guide’ link)
? http://www.clu-in.org/remed1.htm (Vendor information on technologies)

Make sure you reference your sources!!
 

HW 14 Risk Assessment (15 points)

Conduct an extremely simplified risk assessment at your Superfund site. As outlined in your text, this consists of hazard identification, exposure assessment, toxicity assessment, and risk characterization. Specific steps are outlined in your text and class notes.

1. Hazard identification. Normally, one would identify a suite of chemicals representing most of the risk at the site; however, to simplify this assignment, I want you to pick two chemicals at your site for which you have concentration and RfD and/or SF data (for one exposure route). Make sure that you have at least one RfD and one SF. Try to pick "bad" chemicals, present at high concentrations. If none meet the criteria, pick two chemicals with RfD and SF data and assume an appropriate concentration. If you don't have a chemical at your site with RfD and SF inf., pick a chemical out of Appendix B.

For your information, there are a number of sites on the WEB that provide toxicological information, including: http://www.epa.gov/ngispgm3/iris/; http://mail.odsnet.com/TRIFacts/; http://tera.org/iter/; http://www.epa.gov/docs/8e_triag/, and http://atsdr1.atsdr.cdc.gov:8080/toxfaq.html. Note, the first http given is IRIS, EPA’s Integrate Risk Information System, mentioned in your book.

2. Exposure assessment. This would normally include analysis of exposure pathways and populations to determine appropriate exposure scenarios and exposure concentrations. For this assignment:
(a) describe potential pathways and potential exposed populations at your site, as you can best deduce from your ROD. If no information is available in your ROD, find it some other way (find a map of the region surrounding your site?) or make it up (tell me if you make up information). Focus only on adult populations.
(b) calculate an administered dose for each chemical. Pick either an inhalation or ingestion (drinking) exposure route (based on the RfD/SFs you are using) and use a concentration value at the site as the exposure concentration (this may be very conservative). Use the adult data given in Table 14-7 for other parameters.

3. Toxicity assessment. Normally, you would determine the appropriate RfDs and SFs (more carefully than in a Hazard Identification). For this assignment, just use the values you obtained in the Hazard Identification step.

4. Risk assessment. Calculate the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk for the chemicals you selected. Is there a problem regarding non-carcinogenic toxicity? Is the carcinogenic risk acceptable?

Your grade will be based on the level of effort and understanding demonstrated by your product.
 

HW 15 Update your site’s ROD (10 points)

In 2 - 3 pages, update your ROD.

1. Describe the recommended approach to updating a ROD, as specified in the document "Superfund reforms: Updating remedy decisions". You'll find it at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/programs/reforms/remedy/index.htm. Be ready to discuss it in class. You’ll also use it in an upcoming homework.
2.  Focus your update on remediation technology change. Using the results of previous Homework and the guidance specified in part 1 of this homework, make a case for changing or keeping the selected remedy, as described in the ROD.

I realize that you do not have complete information; do the best you can. Point out information needs. Your grade will be based on how well you understand the Superfund reform document, your knowledge of appropriate remediation technologies for your site, and the level of effort demonstrated by your paper.