SUMMARY OF THE REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT FORUM
IN-PLACE INACTIVATION AND NATURAL ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
TECHNOLOGIES SOIL-METALS ACTION TEAM
CONFERENCE CALL

October 7, 1999
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

On Thursday, October 7, 1999, the following members of the In-Place Inactivation and Natural Ecological Restoration Technologies (IINERT) Soil-Metals Action Team met in a conference call:

Bill Berti, DuPont Life Sciences (Action Team Co-Chair)
James Ryan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Action Team Co-Chair)
Sally Brown, University of Washington
Andrew Green, International Lead Zinc Research Organization (ILZRO)
Judith Hallfrisch, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
David Mosby, Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Mike Ruby, Exponent Environmental Group

Also present was Andrew Caffrey of Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG).

ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE JOPLIN, MISSOURI, SITE

The conference call participants opened the call by talking about Bill Berti and Sally Brown's upcoming visit to the Joplin site on October 14 and 15, 1999. James Ryan requested that Berti collect a 5-gallon bucket of soil for him. Ryan specified that the soil should be collected from an untreated area within the fence and that the sample should have approximately 4,000 parts per million (ppm) lead. David Mosby suggested collecting the sample from the northeast corner of the site.

In Vitro Soil Analyses

Brown said that the soil that she and Berti will collect will be used only for in vitro tests, not for animal dosing studies. Judith Hallfrisch said that she had approval from her animal committee to start the in vitro tests in early November, but was awaiting lead compounds from Ryan. Ryan said that he will send her these after Rufus Chaney has collected the remaining lead compounds. Hallfrisch then agreed to send Ryan her protocol for the in vitro study, which is currently undergoing quality assurance/quality control.

Animal Dosing Studies

David Mosby said that he will be collecting samples for animal studies in late December or early January. He said that one or two months of storage before feeding would be fine. Berti suggested that the samples be air-dried, then refrigerated at 4 degrees Celsius. Hallfrisch said that it would be best if she received the samples in early January, since she needs two weeks to make up the diets. Mosby said that he will ensure that a portion of the samples are sent to Stan Casteel and Hallfrisch.

Upcoming Ecological Study

Berti informed Mosby of an upcoming ecological study that will be conducted in collaboration with laboratories in four different parts of the world: Australia, Europe, England, and the United States. The plan, Berti said, is to collect 600 kilograms (kg) and to send 150 kg to each laboratory. Each laboratory will then perform some treatments in common with the other laboratories, and some specific to their region. Andrew Green added that the soil should be less than 50 percent organic and should have some lead content. Berti said that an additional conference call should be held when more detail is available on the requirements for the soil sample.

Ryan pointed out some potential difficulties with using Joplin for an ecological endpoint field study. Ryan said that it may be possible to use earthworms and plants in the study, but not large animals, because the endpoints define the size of the plot needed. Green said that he was trying to set up a conference call with Berti, Brown, and Mike McLaughlin (Research Group Leader, CSIRO Land and Water, South Australia) to discuss these issues. Green will try to set up the call for the morning of October 14 or 15.

ISSUES RELATED TO THE SBRC REVIEW PAPER

Brown noted that a SBRC review paper, entitled Advances In Evaluating the Oral Bioavailability of Inorganics In Soil Use In Human Health Risk Assessment, was distributed to IINERT team members prior to the conference call. She presented her concern about data sharing within the group, since some data related to the Joplin site were presented in that paper. She questioned whether the data were ready to be presented and whether it was appropriate for the publishers to present them. Ryan agreed with Brown's concern about whether the data had been released by the people who had developed those data. Berti suggested a possible solution: that, as a first step, there be a peer-review by IINERT team members. Ryan then framed the issue differently by saying that the important thing is to determine who the data belong to. Mike Ruby pointed out that custodianship of the data falls into a gray area because those who gather data are not always the same people who have paid for it. Ryan agreed and said that there can be a problem when someone has paid for data and does not want them released.

The group tried to identify ways to share data while avoiding improper use. Ruby suggested that until the data have become a part of the public record, only the authors are entitled to publish them. Ryan said that it was still necessary to define who was responsible for the data, and who should be asked in order for the data to be shared. Ryan pointed out the importance of developing a plan that allows cooperation. Green then came up with a general solution: contact whoever is primarily responsible for the data--in most cases the author--and make it that person's responsibility to contact all the other people involved before releasing the data. Ryan, Brown, and Ruby all voiced their agreement with this proposition.

ACTION ITEMS

• Brown will remind Berti to collect a 5-gallon bucket of soil for Ryan during the October 1999 sampling event that is scheduled at the Joplin site. (It was agreed that the soil will be collected from an untreated area within the fence and that the sample should have approximately 4,000 ppm lead. Mosby suggested collecting the sample from the northeast corner of the site.)

• Hallfrisch agreed to send Ryan the protocol that she is using for the lead in vitro study.

• Ryan will send Hallfrisch the lead compounds she needs for the in vitro study after Rufus Chaney has collected the remaining compounds.

• Berti will collect samples for the animal dosing studies in late December 1999 or early January 2000. He will make sure that a portion of the samples are sent to Casteel and Hallfrisch.

• Hallfrisch will fax Brown the abstract from the Puerto Rico meeting by October 15, 1999.

• Green will set up a conference call on October 14 or 15 to discuss Joplin-related issues with Berti, Brown, and McLaughlin. (Green will contact McLaughlin to find out when he is available for a conference call. Also, Berti will send Green the itinerary for the October 1999 sampling event that is scheduled at Joplin. That way, Green will know when Berti and Brown are available for a conference call.)