ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3289-9324
Current Organisation
Australian Antarctic Division
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Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-02-2021
DOI: 10.1002/IEAM.4382
Abstract: This study assesses toxicity of groundwater from remediated fuel spill sites, as the final phase of an environmental risk assessment of contaminated sites at sub‐Antarctic Macquarie Island, Tasmania, Australia. To complement previous terrestrial ecotoxicological research, we determine risk to marine environments from residual biodegraded hydrocarbon contaminants in groundwater discharges. Direct toxicity assessments were conducted on 7 composite groundwater test solutions, adjusted to ambient seawater salinity. Eleven native marine invertebrates (from varied taxa: gastropods, bivalves, flatworms, hipods, copepods, isopods) were exposed and observed for up to 21 d. Lethal time estimates (LT10, LT50) showed sensitivity was time dependent (LT10s = 4–15 d) and variable between species. Three species showed no response to any test solution, and most species did not respond for up to 5 d. Data were interpreted using an expert judgment response matrix with multiple lines of evidence to predict risk. No consistent patterns in the relative toxicity of test solutions, based on polar or nonpolar hydrocarbon concentrations, were identified. Although toxicity was observed in some species, this was only under worst‐case conditions of undiluted, continuous, extended exposure. Natural dynamics of the site, including low groundwater discharge rates, high rainfall, and a highly energetic receiving environment, ensure groundwater is rapidly diluted and dispersed. In this context, and based on site conditions at the time of testing, these toxicity assessments provide robust evidence that residual contamination in groundwater at remediated sites at Macquarie Island is unlikely to represent a risk to the adjacent marine communities tested. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021 :785–801. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC)
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 16-06-2009
DOI: 10.1021/AC900806Y
Abstract: In response to the sovereign requirement for national standards the National Measurement Institute, Australia (NMIA) has developed a measuring system using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) to certify forensic aqueous ethanol solutions. NMIA participated in an international study, CCQM-K27, organized under the auspices of the International Committee for Weights and Measures to compare our measuring system with the techniques being used for certifying aqueous ethanol solutions in other metrology institutes. This comparison provided objective evidence that the measuring system developed was fit for the purpose of certifying aqueous ethanol solutions that ranged in concentration from 0.8 mg/g to 120 mg/g. A complete measurement uncertainty budget is presented and shows that the largest contribution to measurement uncertainty was from method precision followed by the contribution from the calibration solution. The fundamental technology of the measuring system was gas chromatography of the aqueous ethanol solutions using porous layer open tubular columns, and this effectively produced peak area measurements with both GC/MS and GC-FID. It was found that deactivation of the chromatographic system was critical for obtaining reproducible peak shapes and peak area measurements. A range of measuring systems, all using this gas chromatographic technology, was investigated. When conditions were carefully controlled there was no difference in measurement results from GC-IDMS, GC/MS or GC-FID. There was also no difference in results from on-column or split injection systems. A significant issue with the IDMS system was the fragmentation of 13C2-ethanol to produce an ion with the same mass as the molecular ion of ethanol which lead to isobaric interference careful measurement of this fragmentation ratio was necessary to calculate accurate mass fraction values. NMIA has adopted the GC-IDMS split measuring system to certify aqueous ethanol solutions for Australian legal requirements since this measuring system provided higher analytical specificity than GC-FID, accuracy that was fit for purpose and was operationally less stringent than on-column techniques.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2018.07.092
Abstract: A new vapour intrusion contaminant transport model was designed specifically to allow an assessment of the impact of a hydrocarbon fuel spill on air quality in cold region buildings. The model is applied to a recent situation in Antarctica, where a diesel spill impacted the construction of a new building. For the first time, this model allows consideration of the diffusive resistance of different vapour barrier to the transport of hydrocarbons into the building and an assessment of the effectiveness of different products. Site specific indoor air criteria are derived. Five scenarios are modelled at field temperatures: (1) build on current contaminated site (2) excavate contaminated soil, backfill with clean soil and assess impact of residual contamination (3) excavate and backfill with remediated (biopile) soil (4) backfill with remediated soil and assess impact of residual contamination (5) backfill with remediated soil and assess impact of a potential future fuel spill. Two different vapour barriers, a co-extruded ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) geomembrane (VB1) and a linear low-density (LLDPE) geomembrane (VB2), are investigated for each scenario and compared to a base case with no vapour barrier, providing quantifiable evidence of the benefit of installing an engineered vapour barrier Contaminant concentrations were below regulatory limits for Scenarios (2-5) with VB1 and air exchange in the building. For all scenarios, the EVOH geomembrane (VB1) was consistently superior at reducing vapour transport into the building indoor air space over the LLDPE geomembrane (VB2) and no vapour barrier. The risk mitigation measures developed for this contaminated Antarctic site may be relevant for other buildings in cold regions.
Location: No location found
No related grants have been discovered for Jeremy Richardson.