In Situ Stabilization of Persistent Organic Contaminants in Marine Sediments

Abstract

Sediment contamination in estuarine and coastal regions is widespread in the United States. Hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associate with fine-grained, organic-rich, sediment material. This sediment serves as a contaminant reservoir from which fish and bottom-dwelling organisms accumulate toxic compounds passed up the food chain. Common approaches to managing contaminated sediment are dredging and capping, but both options are expensive, cause habitat alteration and require large-scale material handling and long-term supervision. Dredging may not remove all contaminants, and capping becomes less efficient over time. The objective of this project was to investigate the feasibility of using a coal-derived sorbent (e.g., coke or granular activated carbon) for in situ stabilization of persistent organic contaminants, such as PCBs and PAHs, in marine sediments.Coal-derived materials in sediment are strong sorbents that may capture PAHs and PCBs