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Environmental Contaminationas a Result of Flooding: A Case Study of Heating Oil Pollution in the Red River Valley

EPA Grant Number: R828081E02
Title: Environmental Contaminationas a Result of Flooding: A Case Study of Heating Oil Pollution in the Red River Valley
Investigators: Tilotta, David C. , Kozliak, Eugene , Pyle, Sally J.
Institution: University of North Dakota - Main Campus
EPA Project Officer: Winner, Darrell
Project Period: May 1, 2000 through August 31, 2003
Project Amount: $207,000
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (1999)
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)

Description:

Objective:

Floods and flooding often result in widespread contamination that poses both immediate and long-term threats to human health and the environment. The environmental consequences of flooding, however, can be extremely complex and difficult to assess due to their large spatial extent, multiple sources, sinks, and types of pollutants, and potential effects on nearly all components of the environment. Using Grand Forks, North Dakota as a "backyard laboratory", the proposed research will determine the magnitude, nature, and extent of environmental contamination by heating oil as a result of flooding. Specifically, the proposed research will use the recent pollution of the Red River Valley with home heating oil, caused by the 1997 flood, as a case study. Based on the most significant problems identified as a result of that event, specific objectives for this work are as follows:

Approach:

The project employs a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to addressing the effects of heating oil contamination on the environment and human health. In addition to the laboratory studies, the proposed research will take advantage of the natural outdoor laboratory in Grand Forks generated by the Red River of the north flood in 1997. Specifically, several field studies are proposed which will involve simulating flood conditions in homes in order to determine the fate (i.e., sinks, transport pathways, and mechanisms) of heating oil contamination. Following this work, bioremediation measures will be studied in the laboratory and then applied in the field in order to identify heating oil clean-up methodologies.

Expected Results:

The proposed work will result in:

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 6 publications for this project

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 2 journal articles for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

risk assessment, soil, water, indoor air, exposure, health effects, human health, sensitive populations, chemicals, NAPL, remediation, bioremediation , INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Air, Geographic Area, TREATMENT/CONTROL, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Health, Remediation, indoor air, Risk Assessments, Health Risk Assessment, Ecological Risk Assessment, Environmental Chemistry, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Monitoring, Treatment Technologies, State, buildings, indoor air quality, North Dakota (ND), heating oil spills, adverse human health affects, flood hazard initiatives, human health risk, hazardous waste, bioremediation, contaminated building materials, flood related environmental contamination, floods, chemical spill characterization, contaminated building material, contaminants

Progress and Final Reports:
Final Report

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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