SUMMARY OF THE REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT FORUM
PHYTOREMEDIATION ACTION TEAM
TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON IN SOIL SUBGROUP
CONFERENCE CALL

September 9, 1999
12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

On September 9, 1999, the following members of the Remediation Technologies Development Forum's (RTDF's) Phytoremediation Action Team, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) in Soil Subgroup, met in a conference call:

Lucinda Jackson, Chevron Corporation (RTDF Action Team Co-Chair and Subgroup Co-Chair)
Phil Sayre, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Subgroup Co-Chair)
Jim Brown, Roy F. Weston
Pam Davis, Exxon Product Research
Evelyn Drake, Exxon Research and Engineering
Steve Geiger, ThermoRetec, Inc.
Peter Kulakow, Kansas State University (KSU)
Royal Nadeau, EPA
Bud Prevatt, Phillips Petroleum Company
David Tsao, BP Amoco
Duane Wolf, University of Arkansas

Also present was Christine Hartnett of Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG).

UPDATE ON FIELD DEMONSTRATION SITES

The TPH in Soil Subgroup has created a field study program to evaluate how effectively plants degrade petroleum hydrocarbons across a range of test sites. Conference call participants provided the following site reports:

• Site A. Lucinda Jackson said that she expects to obtain results for Site A's time one (T₁) samples in the near future.

• Site B. Jackson said that activities at Site B are well underway; trees and grasses have been established on several test plots. Jackson also said that the results for Site B's time zero (T₀) samples recently became available. She has reviewed the data and was surprised to find that TPH levels are low. For example, she said, TPH values are about 1% (i.e., 10,000 parts per million [ppm]) in the top 6 inches, 0.5% between 6 and 30 inches, and less than 0.001% in areas that are deeper than 30 inches. She expressed some concern about the low concentrations in the deep areas, noting that it may be difficult to perform a meaningful evaluation of the phytoremedial efficacy of deep-rooted trees. Evelyn Drake agreed that Site B may not be the most suitable site for studying trees. Phil Sayre asked if Drake had a better site in mind, but she did not. Drake and Jackson agreed to contact Steve Rock to discuss the low TPH levels.

• Site F. Steve Geiger said that regulatory approval has been granted for a phytoremediation demonstration project at Site F. The project is under way, Geiger said, noting that he recently received T₀ sampling results. He has not had a chance to evaluate the data fully, but a cursory review indicates that TPH levels are low (i.e., about 1,000 ppm). Geiger expressed some disappointment about this finding, but said that an interesting study can still be performed, because polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination is abundant at Site F. Geiger said that T₁ samples will be collected in late September or early October.

• Site G. Peter Kulakow said that TPH concentrations at Site G are about 13,500 ppm. (This concentration is an average of the data obtained from two sediment samples.) In addition, Kulakow said, PAHs are present in significant quantities. In mid-September, T₀ samples will be collected from Site G and plants will be established.

• Sites H. David Tsao said that he hopes to initiate field activities at Site H in the near future, but that he is still waiting for official approval from a state regulatory agency. This agency is trying to establish appropriate cleanup levels for the site. It is possible, Tsao said, that the agency will decide that the contaminant concentrations are low enough to be remediated through natural attenuation rather than phytoremediation.

• Sites I. Tsao said that a phytoremediation project will probably be initiated at Site I next year. He does not foresee any regulatory obstacles. The site has three distinct areas of contamination, Tsao explained; each was contaminated by a different type of material, but all contain PAHs. Tsao said that he may try to perform more than one test demonstration project at this site.

• Site J. Duane Wolf said that the University of Arkansas plans to initiate a phytoremediation demonstration project at Site J in the near future. Site J has TPH levels of about 2.25%; it became contaminated, Wolf said, when a disgruntled employee opened a valve and released several thousands of gallons of crude oil. Some greenhouse studies have been conducted to determine how different plants (e.g., Bermuda grass, rye, fescue, and alfalfa) will grow in Site J's soils. These studies are still ongoing. For example, Wolf said, investigators plan to run additional test with crab grass starting next week. (Wolf pointed out that he has identified a distributer that sells crabgrass seed for $32 per pound.) Wolf said that he hopes to have the results from the greenhouse study presented at the IPAC meeting in Houston, Texas.

  Wolf said that his team is ready to work on Site J, but that they cannot proceed until they receive a final signature on the project's budget. Wolf said that he thinks that the budget will be finalized by September 10, 1999. Assuming that it is, Wolf's team will mobilize quickly and collect time initial (T_I) samples by mid-September. Wolf said that he plans to send four samples to the Arthur D. Little (ADL) laboratory and to analyze four in-house. Drake agreed to contact ADL to tell them that these samples might be arriving in the near future. Wolf stressed the importance of obtaining the T_I results quickly, explaining that this information will be used to establish field plots. He said that the window for warm-season grasses has already passed, but that the window is still open for cool-weather grasses. A full set of T₀ samples will also be collected in the near future.

  Kulakow said that applying covers over the winter can cause a "winter kill" that leaves beds clean and ready for planting in the spring. Kulakow said that he plans to use this approach (using oats) at Site G; he asked Wolf whether he plans to do the same for the plots that he is reserving for warm-season plants. Wolf said that he will, thanking Kulakow for the suggestion.

After listening to the site updates, Drake noted that some Subgroup members reported a similar finding: surface TPH levels were lower than investigators suspected they would be. Drake said that she also found this to be the case at a refinery site that she is working on. At this particular site, Drake said, TPH levels were lower in the surface than in underlying areas, especially in areas where grasses were growing. It appears, therefore, that nature had already started remediating these areas. Drake said that this message needs to get distributed to site managers so that they understand the benefit of having plants established at a site. Drake did note, however, that plants will not be appropriate everywhere; for example, they must be kept away from tank fields.

AGREEMENTS ESTABLISHED WITH EPA

Most of the Subgroup's field studies will be conducted under Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). A CRADA has already been signed between EPA and Chevron. Drake said that she is using this CRADA as a template for the CRADA between EPA and the Petroleum Environmental Research Forum (PERF). Geiger, Tsao, and Wolf said that they have submitted CRADAs to EPA, but that they have not yet been signed. Sayre agreed to call Rock and Larry Fradkin to ask about the status of the CRADAs. Drake said that she will also call Fradkin for some guidance on drafting the EPA-PERF agreement. (Drake hopes to finalize this CRADA before the next Subgroup conference call.) Sayre encouraged the other conference call participants to contact Fradkin directly if they need additional information. (Fradkin can be reached through the EPA locator at 202-260-2090).

Kulakow said that the field study at Site F will be conducted under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) rather than a CRADA. Sayre said that Mike Reynolds (the team leader for Sites C, D, and E) plans to conduct his studies under an MOU as well. Kulakow agreed to contact Reynolds about this.

SUBGROUP QUESTIONNAIRE

Kulakow said that he has distributed site questionnaires to Subgroup members. He asked participants to fill these out by the end of November so that he can use the information to create a summary report of the Subgroup's activities. Jackson and Sayre asked whether the questionnaire asks for information on regulatory agencies and site cleanup levels. Kulakow said that it does.

ANALYTICAL COSTS AND TURN-AROUND TIMES

Drake said that she contacted ADL to check on the status of the Subgroup's samples. She learned that everything submitted so far has been completed or is in its final stages of quality assurance/quality control. Drake recommended contacting ADL's George Naughton (617-498-5335) if Subgroup members have any additional questions. Drake said that ADL has expressed interest in being listed as an in-kind contributor on the PERF contract and that Naughton is drafting a letter to address this issue.

BROCHURE ON PLANT-SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES

Jackson said that she and Kulakow have generated a brochure entitled Plant System Technologies for Environmental Management in the Petroleum Industry. This 10-page brochure has several photographs, she said, and explains how plants can be used for environmental management. Jackson said that she plans to use the brochure as an advertising piece to educate people in her company. It will also be published, Kulakow said, and then posted on KSU's Web site. Jackson and Kulakow agreed that the brochure can be distributed to Subgroup members prior to publication. Kulakow agreed to e-mail it to conference call participants and to send hard copies to those who provide their addresses. Drake asked whether she should distribute it at a Wildlife Habitat Council conference that she is scheduled to speak at. Jackson and Kulakow had no objections to distributing it to individuals.

PAPER ON ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS AT PETROLEUM-CONTAMINATED SITES

Jackson said that she is writing a paper with ADL's Naughton and Henry Camp. This paper, which is entitled Considerations for Design and Implementation of Phytoremediation Assessment Programs at Petroleum-Contaminated Sites, will address subtle issues that arise when trying to obtain high-quality data at petroleum sites. The paper will be presented, Jackson said, at a conference in San Diego, California. She asked if she could include information about the Subgroup's sampling design. No objections were raised.

USING A PHASED APPROACH FOR BIOREMEDIATION AND PHYTOREMEDIATION

Royal Nadeau said that he and Jim Brown have been developing a phased approach to remediation, where bioremediation is used before phytoremediation. Nadeau said that Brown has compiled this information in a summary and would be willing to share it with the RTDF Subgroup. Drake said that she is very excited to learn more about this approach. In fact, she said, one of her site managers is anxiously waiting for the summary that Brown has created. Using a phased approach might be particularly useful, Drake said, at sites that have hot spots of contamination.

Nadeau and Brown agreed to send ERG a copy of their summary for distribution to the Subgroup. Before doing so, however, they will add some language to make sure that it is clearly understood that the phased approach has not received regulatory approval.

USING NATIVE SPECIES

Nadeau said that he and Brown have been experimenting with native plant species recently. Rather than focusing on the plants' ability to remediate areas, however, they have been evaluating their ability to stop erosion. Nadeau said that they hope to promote the use of natives over standard erosion-control mixes because the latter have caused some ecological problems. Nadeau said that some of their work has been conducted at oil-contaminated sites.

Nadeau said that he and Brown have made some excellent contacts with the NRCS, an organization that has plant material centers throughout the country that are working toward meeting regional needs. He advised Subgroup members to contact these centers if they need information about native plants. Drake thanked Brown for the information, noting that the Subgroup also has an interest in using native plants.

Kulakow said that over-fertilization can pose a problem to native plants because many of these species have adapted to unfertilized conditions and do not prosper when they are overburdened with nitrogen. The native species may not perform well, therefore, in areas that have been heavily fertilized. Nadeau said that this was an excellent point and one that will need to be considered if native species are recommended as a second phase (following fertilized bioremediation) of a treatment program. (Information on phased approaches is given in the section above.) Drake said that her limited experience in this area has taught her that there are some native species, such as switch grass and other salt-tolerant species, that grow well in nitrogen-rich environments. Nadeau said that it would be useful to start cataloging some of the Subgroup members' individual experiences.

MISCELLANEOUS

Sayre said that an EPA representative has expressed some interest in hosting a February 2000 meeting for the Subgroup.

Geiger said that he will try to complete a cost-estimate spreadsheet for the Subgroup before the next conference call.

Tsao said that he is a member of the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Cooperative (ITRC)'s phytoremediation group. This group has drafted a decision tree to help site managers decide whether phytoremediation is a viable option. Tsao said that he will ask the ITRC group whether the decision tree could be distributed to the TPH in Soil Subgroup.

NEXT CONFERENCE CALL

ERG agreed to set up the next conference call for October 7, 1999, between 12:00 and 1:30 EST. Agenda items for the next call will include: (1) site updates, (2) CRADA status, (3) a discussion on the phased approach for bioremediation and phytoremediation, and (4) plans for a face-to-face meeting.

ACTION ITEMS

• Jackson and Drake agreed to talk with Rock about the low TPH levels at Site B. They will ask him whether an alternate site should be chosen to evaluate the phytoremedial potential of trees.

• Sayre will contact Rock and Fradkin to discuss the status of the Subgroups' CRADAs. Drake said that she will also contact Fradkin to discuss this issue.

• Kulakow agreed to contact Mike Reynolds about the process that is used to establish MOUs.

• Wolf said that he expects to send ADL four samples in the near future. Drake agreed to contact ADL to warn them that the samples are coming and that a rapid turn-around will be required.

• Kulakow agreed to e-mail an electronic version of a brochure that he and Jackson created. He told participants to send him their addresses if they want hard copies.

• Nadeau and Brown agreed to distribute a discussion piece on using a phased approach for bioremediation and phytoremediation. (They agreed to send the discussion piece to ERG so that it can be distributed to the Subgroup before the next conference call.)

• Tsao agreed to ask ITRC members whether their decision tree can be distributed to TPH in Soil Subgroup members.

• ERG will set up the next TPH in Soil Subgroup conference call for October 7, 1999. The call will take place between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. EST.