Superfund Contaminated Sediments: Conceptual Site Model and Remediation

Event Format: Hybrid (Zoom Access)

Speaker: Solomon Gbondo-Tugbawa, Vice President WSP USA

Abstract:

Some of the most complicated environmental projects involve contaminated sediments in urban areas that have been designated as Superfund Sites. Contaminated sediment is soil, sand, organic matter, or other minerals that accumulate on the bottom of a water body and contain toxic or hazardous materials at levels that may adversely affect human health or the environment. Many of the contaminants persist for years or decades because the contaminant does not degrade or degrades very slowly in the aquatic environment, or because some sources remain uncontrolled. The management and remediation of these sites involves the development of a conceptual site model (CSM). A CSM is a representation of the environmental system and the physical, chemical, and biological processes that determine the transport of contaminants from sources to receptors. It forms an importance basis for understanding the site, evaluating the risk and determining the best remediation approaches for risk reduction. This seminar will discuss the field investigations, data evaluation and modeling used to develop the CSM at example Superfund Sites. Furthermore, the remedial design, implementation and post-remedy assessment will also be discussed.