NRD Cost Allocation at Great Lakes Sediment Site
In a PRP group cost allocation dispute; Gradient evaluated the role of PCBs; PAHs and metals relative to the NRD claims. We contrasted the "environmental fingerprint" of PCBs in sediment; fish and other biota; to the "source fingerprint" from industrial releases. We reviewed aquatic and benthic organism toxicity studies to assess the particular chemicals potentially contributing to observed aquatic biomarkers of chemical exposure. We compared habitat quality benchmarks for this industrialized harbor with reference locations to determine whether site-specific chemicals perceptibly reduced the abundance and diversity of the aquatic community. Our work was instrumental in negotiating a re-allocation of costs among the parti
Project Highlights
- PCB fingerprint
- PAH tumor induction in fish
- Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs)
- Aquatic bioindicators
