Superfund Research Program
Developing and Evaluating Technology to Measure PAH Fate and Exposures
Project Leader: Kim A. Anderson
Grant Number: P42ES016465
Funding Period: 2009-2025
Project-Specific Links
Final Progress Reports
Year: 2019 2012
Kim Anderson, Ph.D., and her team tested new deployment technology of passive sampling to measure diffusive and advective flux between sediment and water. The diffusive flux of PAHs was measured across the sediment-water and water-air interfaces concurrently. The team used this technology at a new site to generate data that was used by DEQ, the RP, and consultants to complete the feasibility work plan for a former wood-treating facility. Results from the teams passive sampling diffusive flux technology helped remediation managers and risk assessors prioritize cleanup. Additionally, early data research showed that PAHs may be transported from the sediment to the air resulting in exposure to PAHs for those living near Superfund sites, in support of previous finding. This finding highlights the importance of considering the inhalation route of exposure for those who live near sites with sediment contamination. A passive sampling model was constructed to predict the accumulation of individually each of 62 PAHs in butter clams. The model in this study was able to predict individual PAH clam concentrations from porewater concentrations within a factor of two, from the edible portion has never before been demonstrated. This model may obviate the need to remove clams, for biomonitoring purposes, from an already fragile ecosystem. We round out assessment of PAH by examining the toxicity of an environmentally relevant, passive sampling derived, PAH mixture in zebrafish. Importantly, the model may be sufficient for assessing the summation of developmental toxicity endpoints for these PAH mixtures in zebrafish.