SEDL / STP / STP1293-EB / STP16001S

State of the Art: CDF Contaminant Pathway Control

Richardson, GN
Principal, G. N. Richardson & Associates, Raleigh, NC

Petrovski, DM
Geologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chicago, IL

Chaney, RC
Professor, Humbolt State University, Arcata, CA

Demars, KR
Professor, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Pages: 25    Published: Jan 1995

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Abstract

Contaminants from sediments contained within a confined disposal facility (CDF) can be discharged to the environment via six potential pathways. These pathways include three waterborne pathways, the direct uptake of the contaminants by plants or animals, and airborne emission of contaminants. Conventional CDF design focuses on retention of sediment particles with perimeter dikes. Depending upon the nature of the site, the contaminants of concern, method of dredging, physical properties of the dredged material, operational aspects, and many other factors, including sociopolitical factors, supplemental environmental design criteria may be required for the CDF. This paper reviews design alternatives to control contaminant loss from the CDF basin through the six identified contaminant pathways. These alternatives include the use of both additional design components and operational constraints. The need for a specific pathway control measure is shown to depend on both site and sediment specific evaluation criteria.