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- Using Plants to Sustain Military Ranges
- Sonar Key to Detecting Underwater UXO
- Monitoring and Mapping Coral Reefs
- EPA-Approved Protocol for Range Characterization
- Robotic Laser Coating Removal System
- MetalMapper
- Understanding cis-DCE and VC Biodegradation
- Eliminating Cr from Medium Caliber Gun Barrels
- Predicting Responses to Landscape Changes
- Applying Statistics and Modeling to UXO Discrimination
- Composites with Low HAP Compounds
- Perchlorate-Free Flares Undergo Qualification Testing
- Recovering Energy from Landfill Gas
- Modeling Underwater UXO Mobility in Reef Environments
- Understanding the Behavioral Ecology of Cetaceans
- Forecasting the Effects of Stressors on At-Risk Species
- Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination
- Reducing Emissions for Jet Engines of the Future
- Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- Passive Sampling of Contaminated Sediments
- Leveraging Advanced Sensor Data to Clean Up UXO
- Source Zone Architecture Key to DNAPL Remediation
- Biopolymers Maintain Training Berms, Prevent Contamination
- Rare-Earth Corrosion Protection Mechanisms
- Cold Spray Technology for Aircraft Component Repair
- Ecological Research Supports Training at Camp Lejeune
- Loss of Permafrost – Impact on DoD Lands in Alaska
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- ASETSDefense Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering
- Forward Operating Bases: Water and Waste Management
- Evaluating Matrix Diffusion Effects on Groundwater
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- Erosion Resistant Coating Improves Engine Efficiency
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- Climate Change Adaptation: Enhanced Decision Making
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- Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
- Evaluating Technology Performance at DNAPL Sites
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- Success Classifying Small Munitions at Camp Butner
- Managing Military Lands in the Southwest
- Partnering to Advance Munitions Classification
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement - Preview
- Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study
- Protective Coating Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency
- Assessing Pacific Island Watershed Health
- New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
- ClimaStat Technology Improves HVAC Efficiency
- Innovative Plating Process for Beryllium Alternatives
Passive Sampling of Contaminated Sediments

Simple polyethylene strip measures the fraction of sediment contamination that poses a risk to ecological receptors and human health.
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Dr. Philip Gschwend, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Passive Polyethylene Sampling in Support of In Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sediments
DoD manages hundreds of contaminated sediment sites in bays, harbors, lakes, wetlands, and rivers. Historically, regulators and site managers have assessed these sites by measuring how much of a specific chemical such as polychlorinated biphenyls is present in the sediment. However, total concentrations are poorly correlated with the toxic impacts that need to be addressed. What is needed is a way to easily and cost-effectively measure the fraction of those chemicals at a particular field site that can be taken up by an organism and cause harm.
Dr. Philip Gschwend and colleagues have demonstrated and validated a commercially viable, simple passive sampler that can measure the fraction of the chemical that is of concern. Developed under SERDP, the passive samplers utilize an inert low-density polyethylene medium to accumulate organic compounds from contaminated sediment beds. The polyethylene concentrations can be converted to contaminant concentrations that are available to the organisms in this environment.
This accurate and robust passive sampling technique can be cost-effectively employed at virtually all DoD contaminated sediment sites to characterize the risk of contaminants entering the food chain. It provides significant savings in manpower, number of days in the field, equipment, and shipping costs as compared to traditional sampling methods. For sites already in the remedial action process, the use of these samplers could significantly reduce the costs of long-term monitoring. Beyond cost reduction, the passive sampling technique can help guide remediation efforts to target the real risk and thus improve the health of the environment at sediment sites across DoD and the nation.
For this work, Dr. Gschwend received a Project-of-the-Year award at the annual Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop held November 29 –December 1, 2011, in Washington, D.C.
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