Superfund Research Program

Research Translation Core

Project Leader: Kirby C. Donnelly
Grant Number: P42ES004917
Funding Period: 2005-2008

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2007 

The TAMU SBRP has continued collaborative research activities with the USEPA in Regions 6 and 10. The RTC continues to meet with EPA Region 6 toxicology and risk assessment staff in Dallas on a routine basis. The EPA also provided a review and comment of the SBRP renewal application by Texas A&M. In July, students and faculty traveled to Region 10 to provide a seminar describing the TAMU SBRP work on the Lower Duwamish. Several site managers, including the manager for the Duwamish, Ms. Allison Hiltner attended this seminar. The EPA Region 10 also continued to provide dive crew and boat support for sampling activities on the Lower Duwamish. Most recently, Texas A&M in collaboration with five other SBRP universities has developed the National Bioassay Network. The goal of this network is to establish a matrix of short term bioassays that can be used to assist in site or risk assessment of contaminated sediments. An initial round-robin study was initiated in November in which each group received six standards for testing. This included 2 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 2 PCBs, a binary hydrocarbon mixture (benzo(a)pyrene and fluoranthene), and a reference complex mixture (coal tar from the NIS). Collaborators from Baylor University, Duke University, Michigan State University, University of California-Davis, University of California-San Diego and Texas A&M will conduct the round robin testing. Upon completion of the work, the investigators from these universities hope to prepare a manuscript for submission. The goal for next year is to collect sediment, develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan, and to analyze the sediment extracts using the battery of bioassays. The data from these tests will be compared to results obtained using the standard aquatic toxicity assays (Hyalella and Chironimus), as well as results from in situ studies conducted by Texas A&M and University of Washington SBRPs.