Ecological Investigation Levels and Ecological Screening Levels - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ecological Investigation Levels and Ecological Screening Levels Naomi Cooper (Ecotoxicologist) and Antti Mikkonen 17 June 2014 1

What we will run through EILs and ESLs definitions n What has changed? n When do I need to consider the EILs? n What to do when an EIL is not provided in NEPM? n What are the key concepts and how do I use EILs? n Case Study n 17 June 2014 2

Case Study Site Scenario n n Historical Use: Former electroplating factory n Proposed Use: Low density residential, with gardens 17 June 2014 3

EILs and ESLs Definition Ecological investigation levels (EILs) n Developed for selected metals and organic substances n n As, Pb, Cu, Ni, CrIII, Zn, DDT and naphthalene Depend on specific soil physicochemical properties ( Cu, Ni, CrIII and Zn ) and n land use scenarios. Generally apply to the top 2 m of soil. n Ecological screening levels (ESLs) n Developed for selected petroleum hydrocarbon compounds and total n petroleum hydrocarbon fractions. n BTEX, F1, F2, F3, F4, Benzo(a)pyrene Broadly apply to coarse and fine grained soils and various land uses n Generally apply to the top 2 m of soil. n 17 June 2014 4

What has changed? The original NEPM (1999) had EILs but they have undergone a n complete overhaul Now based on risk-based approaches - Species Sensitivity Distribution n (SSD) model normalised for Australian soil conditions n # of Rules n # species, # trophic levels n LOEC, EC30 data n ANZECC 2000 methodology 60% Industrial level 80% Residential level 99% National Park level 17 June 2014 5

What has changed? Soil characteristics n n EILs – physiochemical properties n ESLs – soil structure Three levels of protection n n Area’s of ecological significance (99% protection) n Urban residential areas and public open space (80% protection) n Commercial and industrial (60% protection) 17 June 2014 6

What to do when a EIL/ESL is not provided in NEPM? The amended NEPM only provides 8 EILs and 9 ESLs n Just because there is no EIL or ESL in the new NEPM does not mean it n does not pose risk to ecological receptors What to do: n n Consider adopting screening criteria from other jurisdictions n USEPA, CCME, Dutch n Ecological Risk Assessment 17 June 2014 7

When do I need to consider EILs/ESLs? EILs/ESLs will not apply to every site and situation n n A risk cannot occur unless a stressor (or source), pathway and receptor occur in the same place at the same time 17 June 2014 8

ESLs Ecological Screening Levels 17 June 2014 9

ESLs Ecological Screening n Levels Data derived from n Canadian Guidance for Petroleum Hydrocarbons in soil n updates Coarse vs fine soils n 17 June 2014 10

ESLs * * 17 June 2014 11

ESLs X 8 1.4 X X 1.4 17 June 2014 12

EILs Ecological Screening Levels 17 June 2014 13

What has changed? - EILs Scientific methodology = less criteria n Dependent on the availability of toxicological research (and the quality of the n research) 17 June 2014 14

EILs – Three types Three types of EILS - generic vs soil specific vs site specific n Generic EILs – based on land use only n Soil-specific EILs - are specific for set of soil physicochemical properties; n apply to all soils or sites that have same soil properties and same land use. Site-specific EILs - derived during a Definitive ERA; they are site-specific n and may not apply to any other particular site. 17 June 2014 15

EILs - Generic 17 June 2014 16

EILs – Generic Generic EILs: apply for arsenic, lead, naphthalene and DDT n Table 1B(4) and 1B(5) n EIL (mg total contaminant/kg) Areas of ecological Urban residential and Commercial and Chemical Age significance public open space industrial Fresh 40 100 160 Arsenic Aged 40 100 160 Fresh 110 270 440 Lead Aged 470 1100 1800 Fresh/Aged DDT 3 180 640 Naphthalene Fresh/Aged 10 170 370 Fresh contamination < 2 years old, aged contamination ≥ 2 years of age. n 17 June 2014 17

EILs – Soil specific 17 June 2014 18

EILs – Soil Specific EILs = ABC + ACL ABC = ambient background concentration ACL = added contaminant limit 17 June 2014 19

EILs – Soil Specific ABCs Ambient Background Concentrations 17 June 2014 20

Ambient Background Concentration (ABC) Three methods for determining the ABC are presented in Schedule B5b: n Preferred method is to measure the ABC at an appropriate reference site 1. In situations where an appropriate reference site is not available use n either: The method based on urban metal levels in Olszowy et al. (1995) - aged 2. Or the geochemical method from Hamon et al. (2004) may be used - 3. fresh 17 June 2014 21

ABCs – Hamon (fresh) Iron concentration is used to estimate background concentrations. n Hamon uses the upper 95th percentile of site to calculate correlation plots for n background metals. NEPM specifies that the 50th percentile of data should be used. n Hamon’s Regression Parameters for Metals 1000 Measure Element Slope Coefficient d [Ni] Ni (mg/Kg) As 0.574 0.507 100 Co a 0.894 -1.409 Cr 0.750 1.242 Cu 0.612 0.808 10 Ni 0.702 0.834 Pb 1.039 0.118 Zn 0.589 1.024 1 0.1 1 10 Geochemical correlation equation: n Fe (%) �� � [� ] = (log[Fe �� � � � ] × Slope) + constant 17 June 2014 22

ABCs – Olszowy (aged) Olszowy (et al) established background levels across Australia (four n major cities) based on a stratified random sampling (of surface soils; 0- 150 mm). The study categorized findings by suburb age and traffic conditions. n n Old suburb = area where houses in general were > 40 years old n New suburbs = areas in which houses were typically < 20 years old n High traffic was defined by a site being within 50 m of a road where >250 cars pass by per hour (at peak hour traffic conditions) NOTE: The EIL calculator only uses the 25th % of “old suburb” n background data. 17 June 2014 23

EILs – Soil Specific ACLs Added Contaminant Limits 17 June 2014 24

Added Contaminant Limits (ACL) Fresh contamination Aged contamination 17 June 2014 25

ACLs Used to calculate EILs n Not all parameters included in Schedule B1 n 17 June 2014 26

Key Concepts - How the ACL is determined Not as simple as choosing a number from a n table A number of calculations are run depending n on analyte and the minimum ACL is chosen from these B1 should be used just for a reference n 17 June 2014 27

Key Concepts – ACL varies with input parameters 28

The EIL Calculator Inputs Outputs Select contaminant from list below Cu Land use Cu soil-specific EILs Below needed to calculate fresh and EIL calculator found at: n aged ACLs (mg contaminant/kg dry soil) Enter cation exchange capacity (silver http://www.scew.gov.au/node/941 thiourea method) (values from 0 to 100 cmolc/kg dwt) Fresh Aged National parks and areas of 75 85 high conservation value 20 Input site specific soil type n Enter soil pH (calcium chloride method) Urban residential and open (values from 1 to 14) 130 230 parameters to derive ACL public spaces 9 Enter organic carbon content (%OC) Commercial and industrial 180 320 (values from 0 to 50%) 1 Input measured ABC n 0 10 or Iron % for fresh n Below needed to calculate fresh and aged ABCs 75 85 and state/traffic for aged Outputs for fresh/aged n n Measured background concentration (mg/kg). Leave blank if no measured EILs for 3 levels of value 130 230 protection EIL = ABC + ACL n or for fresh ABCs only 180 320 Enter iron content (aqua regia method) (values from 0 to 50%) to obtain estimate of background concentration 7 More on ABC and ACL at the n or for aged ABCs only training module Enter State (or closest State) NSW Enter traffic volume (high or low) actual result 72.8041516 86.986992 low 17 June 2014 29

Case Study 1- Case Study 5 from Schedule B1 Former Electroplating Factory (5 years ago) – Low density residential, with gardens Stratigraphy: 0-1 m imported clay / soil fill of uniform characteristics. Imported prior to use. n 1-2 m natural- Silty SAND, trace clay n No contaminants of concern are expected greater than 2 m bgl. n What are contaminants of concern? Aged or fresh contamination? n Phase 2 soil sampling program included analysis for CEC, pH and % clay on: n 10 samples from 0 - 1 m bgl (including 4 representative of background) n 8 samples from 1- 2 m bgl (including 4 representative of background) n 17 June 2014 30

Case Study 1- Case Study 5 from Schedule B1 Soil Sample Results Table 1: Soil Physical Properties Depth (m CEC pH (pH units) % Clay (%) Organic bgl) (cmol/kg) Content 0-1 9 6 10 1.0 1-2 17 6.5 12 0.4 Table 2: Ambient Background Conditions ABC Depth Cu Zn Ni Cr (III) Pb As 0-1 4 65 2 7 44 18 1-2 1.5 8 0.5 10 24 13 Use NEPM Tables 1B(1 to 5). Check with Tool Box Calculator. n 17 June 2014 31

Case Study 1- Results ACL from NEPM tables – Generic values (Tables 1B(4) and 1B(5)) n ACL (mg total contaminant/kg) Areas of ecological Urban residential and Commercial and Chemical Age significance public open space industrial Fresh 40 100 160 Arsenic Aged 40 100 160 Fresh 110 270 440 Lead Aged 470 1100 1800 Fresh/Aged DDT 3 180 640 Naphthalene Fresh/Aged 10 170 370 17 June 2014 32