Fall 2008 Newsletter - HDC SETAC 2008 HDC... · thor of The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, will be our Monday plenary. He has won the George Polk Award

Page 1 HDC SETAC Newsletter Fall 2008

Hudson/Delaware Chapter of SETACHudson/Delaware Chapter of SETACHudson/Delaware Chapter of SETAC Fall 2008 NewsletterFall 2008 NewsletterFall 2008 Newsletter

Page Welcome ..........................…. .............1 HDC Board of Directors ………….... 2 President’s Message…………............3 Upcoming Meetings………………….3 New Board Members ............ .............6 Reading List .......................... .............7 Nanotechnology ………………..……8 Why join the HDC Board ……….….11 Student Awards..................... ...........14 Thanks to Corporate Sponsors……...16 2008 Corporate Sponsors…………...17

IN THIS ISSUE

The newsletter has created space for Sustaining and Full Corporate Sponsors to HDC SETAC. These sponsors may submit relevant advertising (i.e. for services and prod-ucts) and current job postings for inclusion into our news-letter at no charge. These corporate sponsors play a vital role in helping to ensure the effectiveness and success of our local chapter. For a complete listing of sponsors see the Corporate Sponsors section in this newsletter or visit them on our website. Our Fall Workshop is fast approaching on Wednesday, October 8, 2008. The meeting will be held at the Rutgers University, EcoComplex in Bordentown, NJ. Read the lat-est details in our Upcoming Meetings section. We also hope to see you in Tampa, FL in November at the SETAC North America, 29th Annual Meeting. Look in the agenda to see when HDC SETAC will hold our own brief chapter meeting in Tampa, FL. On behalf of the Board of Directors of HDC SETAC I would like to thank our membership for their continued support of this local chapter. Your comments, suggestions and ideas are always welcome. Don Nazario HDC SETAC Vice-President and Co-Editor Newsletter

The HDC SETAC Newsletter has returned! It has been a little bit of time since the HDC Chapter has put out a news-letter. I would like to think that the reason for its absence was because everyone was too busy but I believe the real reason is that pulling together an organization’s newsletter is no small task. My hat goes off to previous editor Jon Doi for his effi-cient management of the HDC Chapter newsletter for several years. I know we will all miss his determination in ensuring all the contributors had their articles in by deadline. But the time has arrived for a new format and a new approach toward the HDC SETAC newsletter. Starting with this issue the newsletter will be distributed elec-tronically via email. You can also find a copy of the current newsletter posted on our website at www.hdcsetac.org. While on the website, just click on the link on the right-hand side for newsletters. You’ll find copies of previous newsletters listed there also. If for whatever reason you would like to be mailed a hard copy of the newsletter, please see my contact informa-tion under Board of Directors and I will arrange to have a copy sent out to your mailing address.

Co-Editors: Don Nazario, Aqua Survey, Inc. Nai-chia Luke, CDM.

EcoComplex, Rutgers University, Bordentown, NJ

Don’t forget – as a current member of HDC SETAC you are invited to submit your own articles for inclusion in fu-ture issues of the Newsletter. Contact Co-Editors Don Nazario or Nai-Chia Luke or any HDC Board Member for information and requirements.


Hudson/Delaware Chapter of SETAC

Board of Directors

Ron MacGillivray, President (term 2008-2009) Delaware River Basin Commission West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360 (609) 883-9500, ext 252 (phone) [email protected] Steven Brown, Past-President (term 2008-2009) Rohm & Haas Company Spring House, PA 19477-0904 (215) 619-5323 (phone) [email protected] Carolyn Bentivegna, Secretary (term 2008-2010) Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ 07079 (973) 275-2113 (phone) [email protected] Sean Bugel – Student Board Member & Web Master (term 2008-2009) Rutgers University, Cook College Biochemistry & Microbiology New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (908) 499-2879 (cell) [email protected] Gina Ferreira, Board Member (term 2007-2010) USEPA REGION 2 New York, NY 10007-1866 (212) 637-3768 (phone) [email protected] Bob Hoke, Board Member (term 2007-2010) E.I. DuPont deNemours Company Newark, DE 19711 (302) 451-4566 (phone) [email protected] Ben LePage (term 2007-2010) Peco Energy Company Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 841-5572 (phone) [email protected] Richard Henry US Fish & Wildlife Service Edison, NJ 08837 (732) 906-6987 (phone) [email protected]

Don Nazario, Vice-President (term 2008-2009) Aqua Survey, Inc. Flemington, NJ 08822 (908) 788-8700 (phone) [email protected] Chris Nally, Treasurer (term 2006-2009) American Aquatic Testing, Inc. Allentown, PA 18109 (610) 434-9015 (phone) [email protected] Peter Brussock (term 2005-2008) Environmental Liability Management Holicong, PA 18938-0306 (215) 794-6920 (phone) [email protected] George Molnar (term 2007-2010) Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. Edison, NJ 08818 (732) 590-4633 (phone) [email protected] Laurie Gneiding (term 2008-2011) AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. Somerset, NJ 08873 (732) 302-9500 (phone) [email protected] Nai-chia Luke (term 2008-2011) Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. Edison, NJ 08818 (732) 590-4657 (phone) [email protected] Nellie Tsipoura (term 2008-2011) NJ Audubon Society Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary Bernardsville, NJ 07924 (908) 766-5787 (phone) [email protected]

2008-2009 HDC SETAC Board of Directors


Save the Date (October 8) & Register Now for SETAC-HDC’s Fall Workshop! Perspectives on Regulatory Criteria and Screening Levels Based on Wildlife Tissue Residues SETAC-HDC will hold its annual Fall Workshop on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 at the Rutgers University EcoComplex in Bordentown, New Jersey. The theme of this year’s workshop is “Perspectives on Regulatory Criteria and Screening Levels Based on Wildlife Tissue Residues”. Keeping with the foundational tenet of SETAC, the workshop program will include invited presentations by representatives from different sectors (government, academia, business/industry) covering a range of interrelated topics spanning science and envi-ronmental regulation including the following: • NJDEP's Use of Fish and Wildlife Tissue Residues

in Regulatory & Advisory Programs • History and Utility of Tissue-Based Wildlife Criti-

cal Body Residues for Regulatory Use • Uncertainty in Predictions of Bioaccumulation • Brominated Flame Retardants:

The Human/Wildlife Connection The program will also include case studies on selected bioaccumulative contaminants and a panel discussion addressing key and perhaps provocative questions. While perspectives are sure to vary, it appears that regulatory decisions, from contaminated site cleanup to NPDES permits, are increasingly likely to be influ-enced by concerns about risks associated with wildlife tissue contaminant concentrations. Come and learn about the state of the science and regulatory guidance on the subject. Workshop slide presentations are by invitation only, but you are invited to submit an ab-stract for poster presentations (on the workshop theme or other SETAC-type topics). Poster abstracts (250 words or less) must be submitted via email to Steve Brown ([email protected]) on or before September 26. Look for the workshop program and REGISTER NOW on the HDC web site (hdcsetac.org). SEE YOU THERE! Steve Brown HDC Past-President 2008-2009

Let me take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed to the HDC-SETAC Fall 2008 Newsletter. A special thanks to Don Nazario and Nai-chia Luke for all their efforts to publish the newsletter in its new for-mat. Nai-chia is a new Board Member. I would also like to welcome two other new HDC-SETAC Board members, Laurie Gneiding and Nellie Tsipoura, as they bring new ideas and energy to the board. The HDC Board has big plans for this upcoming year. Steve Brown and Bob Hoke are meeting chairs for the Fall Workshop on October 8, 2008 at the Rutgers University EcoComplex in Bordentown, NJ. Gina Ferreira and Don Nazario have already done a signifi-cant amount of early reconnaissance for the Spring Meeting in April of 2009 along the Hudson River in New York State. We are also busy planning a chapter booth and chapter meeting at the SETAC-NA Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida. I heartily encourage you to participate in all of these HDC-SETAC activities. The HDC-SETAC Board is committed to planning meetings and developing modes of communication that provide the highest level of scientific knowledge and experience on topics of regional interest in an atmos-phere that promotes the exchange of ideas among pro-fessionals in academics, industry, consulting, govern-ment agencies, and environmental advocacy groups. The Board also enthusiastically supports programs for student development. All this could not be possible without the hard work of so many of our members and generous contributions from our corporate sponsors. This newsletter provides just a sample of what HDC-SETAC and its members are accomplishing. I hope you find the newsletter informative. Ron Macgillivray HDC President 2008-2009

President’s Message: Upcoming Meetings—


29th Annual Meeting in Tampa, FL is Just Around the Corner November will be here in no time, so it’s high time you visit the meeting website at http://tampa.setac.org to take advantage of the favorable pricing structure. Remember, if you register by 4 October, you can still get a discounted rate as compared to on-site registration. The website will also have up-to-date information about the technical pro-gram, registration, exhibitor information, career center, student information, and social activities. The average Tampa temperature during SETAC’s meeting week is 78 °F (26 °C), so what better way to spend the week before Thanksgiving? Come and join us for what is sure to be a meeting to remember in the Sunshine State. Whether you are coming for the technical program (or the social activities), we’ve got you covered. This year’s meeting will feature approximately 1,650 platform and poster presentations. Highlights of this year’s annual meet-ing include 1½ days of platform sessions on nanotechnology, daily platform sessions on various metals topics, sev-eral sessions devoted to analytical or environmental chemistry, marine and coastal platform presentations, numer-ous sessions relating to risk assessment and ecologically-focused platforms to incorporate more pure ecologists into the meeting. As an incentive to encourage ecologists to join us during the meeting, the program committee put together a special symposium honoring the legacy of Dr. John Cairns, Jr. entitled, “Putting the eco in ecotoxicol-ogy: A session dedicated to John Cairns.” You won’t want to miss it! This year’s theme, Environmental Stewardship: Integrating Science and Management, promises to be an excellent back drop for the meeting’s plenary speakers. Michael Grunwald, correspondent for The Washington Post and au-thor of The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, will be our Monday plenary. He has won the George Polk Award for national reporting, the Worth Bingham Award for investigative reporting and nu-merous other prizes including the Society of Environmental Journalists award for his work on the Everglades. Tuesday’s plenary will be provided by Dr. Lou Guillette, Distinguished Professor of Zoology and Professor of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Florida. Internationally recognized for his work in the field of comparative reproductive biology and developmental endocrinology, he has advised such countries as New Zea-land, Australia, Mexico, South Africa and Botswana on the development of reproductive biology programs for endangered wildlife. Dr. Guillette also is recognized for his research examining environmental contaminants and reproductive/endocrine disruption in various wildlife species, and policy work in human public health. Wednes-day’s plenary speaker will be a special surprise, so go ahead and plan to be at the meeting. Our Tampa social events include something for the nature enthusiasts and the history buffs. If you’re not involved in a short course on Sunday, why not take a scenic canoe trip on the Hillsborough River? Enjoy the 2½ hour trip through a 16,000 acre wildlife preserve where wildlife abounds. Be sure and bring your camera! Not interested in canoeing? How about an all-day tour of the North Shore Restoration Area at Lake Apopka, one of the most notable “ecotoxicology” field sites! For you city slickers or history buffs, we offer a half-day city tour of Tampa. Experi-ence the history of this vibrant city firsthand with too many great stops to mention in this article. On Monday you can tour the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Join us Tuesday for SETAC’s night at the Florida Aquarium. You can round out your trip Wednesday with a tour of the Tampa Bay Watch Desalination Plant and Manatee Viewing Center. There really is something for everyone. Check out the website for complete information! This year’s meeting will have some new twists in addition to some old favorites, so don’t miss out on a minute of the fun. Plan on arriving early and staying late, enjoying the beauty of Tampa, and catching up on the cutting-edge scientific endeavors of colleagues. See you in Tampa! Jerry Farris & Matt Moore Program Committee Co-Chairs 29th Annual Meeting-Tampa, FL


The Third Passaic River Symposium will be held on Thursday October 16, 2008 at the Montclair State University Conference Center in Montclair, NJ. This symposium will fea-ture the "Lower Passaic River Restoration Project" (www.ourpassaic.org) along with projects and issues in the upper River and tributary watersheds. The symposium is be-ing held in conjunction with the 25th annual conference of the Geological Association of New Jersey on October 17th and 18th. Check out the full details and registration informa-tion at the Symposium Web Site: w w w . c s a m . m o n t c l a i r . e d u / p r i /symposium2008/. The second Symposium (held in Fall 2006) attracted over 300 participants, and a similar attendance is expected again. Alan J. Steinberg, Regional Administrator of USEPA, Aniello L. Tortora, the NY District Commander for the US Army Corps of Engi-neers, and Lisa P. Jackson, Commissioner of the NJDEP, have all confirmed that they will be speaking.

The Third Passaic River Symposium

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ

Thursday October 16, 2008

East India Company in 1608 to find a north-east, all-water route to Asia. To celebrate the Dutch role in exploring and colonizing America, a replica of Henry Hud-son's Half Moon was built at the Snow Dock in Albany, New York, and launched in June of 1989. The Half Moon sails today as a living history exhibit - her cabins and decks fur-nished authentically with sea chests, weapons, tools, navigational instruments, and trade goods - taking visitors back to an age when intrepid European explorers competed to open new routes to trade with the East.

This picture is a rep-lica of the original Half Moon (Halve Maen) which was the vessel Henry Hudson sailed on for the Dutch East India Company. Henry Hudson, al-ready a famous and experienced explorer of Arctic waters, was hired by the Dutch

The Year 2009 will mark the 300th anniver-sary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the Hud-son River to what is today Albany, NY. With the Hudson River clearly in mind the Hudson-Delaware Chapter of SETAC will be planning their Two-Day Spring meeting somewhere along the lower Hudson River in New York State in late April 2009. Bear Mountain is a probable location but full details are still be-ing formed. Stay tuned to the HDC website for more updates.

2009 Spring Meeting Update


New HDC Board Members

Nai-chia Luke Dr. Nai-chia Luke received a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Rutgers University and has been an active mem-ber of SETAC since 1985. Currently she is an Associ-ate at Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. (CDM) and a tech-nical leader for risk assessment at CDM. In addition to lead CDM’s risk assessment group, she also manages a multidisciplinary group consisting of human health and ecological risk assessors, engineers, and geologists. Other responsibilities include performing and directing ecological and human health risk assessments (including nanotoxicology and microbial risk assess-ment), data quality management, ecological surveys, vapor intrusion/indoor air investigations, development of risk-based remediation goals, litigation support, and community planning and relations. Dr. Luke has been an invited panel review member for USEPA’s basic research on human health risk assess-ment and a peer reviewer for SETAC’s International Journal, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. She also served as a member of the American Society of Testing and Material (ASTM) E50.04.05 subcom-mittee in the development of the guide for risk-based corrective actions to protect ecological resources. In addition, she was an invited speaker at the Modern Engineering Technology Seminar, a high-level govern-ment sponsored environmental conference held in Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Luke has published and presented 32 papers on human health and ecological risk assess-ments, data quality, nanotoxicology, and vapor intru-sion at various professional conferences. She is also a full member of the Society of Toxicology, and active member of the Society of Risk Analysis, the Society of Quality Assurance, and ASTM.

Nellie Tsipoura Nellie Tsipoura is the Director of citizen science for New Jersey Audubon Society, and is coordinating a number of surveys that employ volunteers throughout NJ to monitor bird populations. In addition, she is currently directing several urban ornithology projects, including a study on the effects of contaminants on passerine birds breeding in wetlands of the Meadow-lands District. In recent research she tries to bridge measures of bird ecology and behavior with measures of contaminants and their potential effects. She earned a Ph.D. from Rutgers University for work on ecophysiological and hormonal aspects of winter-ing and migration in shorebirds. She has over 20 years of experience on bird ecology, behavior, and population biology on a variety of bird species in New York, New Jersey, Washington, Virginia, Georgia, Venezuela and Mexico, and has undertaken research projects on shorebirds in Delaware Bay, Texas, and Alaska. Most of her work experience involves work-ing or consulting on ornithological research for non-profit and government organizations, including Na-tional Audubon Society, NRDC, Wildlife Conserva-tion Society, and NJ Endangered and Nongame spe-cies program. She has published on shorebird ecology, heavy metal contaminants in birds and horseshoe crabs, and on the effects of oiling on birds.

Laurie Gneiding Laurie Gneiding received her BS in Biology from William Paterson College in New Jersey and her MS in Environmental Toxicology from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). She started her career working for GAF Corporation as an R&D technician making a variety of chemicals such as latexes, iron inhibitors, surfactants, and pesticides. Moving from large industry she then began working in environ-mental consulting for the past 24 years. Laurie is cur-rently an Associate Risk Assessor/Project Manager at AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. where she works on human health and ecological risk assessments, natural resource surveys, and most recently toxico-logical issues in nanotechnology.


Reading List— HDC-SETAC 2007 Annual Meeting Ple-nary Session speakers, Franklin and Mar-shall College Professors Robert C. Walter and Dorothy J. Merritts, have published their research on river morphologies in Science. Natural Streams and the Legacy of Wa-ter-Powered Mills Robert C. Walter and Dorothy J. Merritts Science 18 January 2008: Vol. 319. no. 5861, pp. 299 - 304

By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offered a new rule aimed at shielding children from the risks of lead-based paint, but a watchdog group said the rule needs to be tougher. The rule affects professional contractors who renovate or repair homes, schools or child-care centers built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned for residential use. Ordered by Congress in 1992, the rule takes effect in April 2010. Nearly 38 million U.S. homes contain some lead-based paint, Assistant EPA Administrator James Gulliford said in a telephone briefing. Gulliford acknowledged that this rule was supposed to be finalized in 1996, and said his agency had been "actively engaged" in the question since then. The rule requires contractors who fix up older homes and other buildings occupied by children to take simple precau-tions to avoid creating and spreading lead dust. Gulli-ford estimated the cost was an average of $35 per reno-vation or repair job. "In return, we protect more than 1.4 million children under the age of 6 ... we think it's a very cost-effective and very protective rule," Gulliford said. Patrick MacRoy of the non-profit Alliance for Healthy Homes called the new rule "an important first step," but noted significant flaws in the rule after such a long delay.

ARE HOMES SAFE AFTER WORK IS DONE? "After 16 years of waiting for this rule, I think we ex-pected the rule to be stronger," MacRoy said in a tele-phone interview. "The clearest problem with the rule is the lack of a method to determine that homes are safe after the work is done." Under procedures used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, when workers re-move lead from buildings, they must get so-called clearance, which involves taking a sample of lead dust to see how much is left behind, MacRoy said. The sample is checked by a laboratory for a fee of $5 to $10, he said. But instead of this traditional clearance, the new rule requires cleaning verification, to be performed by the same people who do the removal of lead. This cleaning verification is to be done by wiping a wet cloth along surfaces in the building and seeing if the cloth is as white as a reference card provided by the EPA, MacRoy said. Since 1992, at least 17 million children have been ex-posed to harmful levels of lead unnecessarily, he said. His organization noted in a statement that while par-ents have lately worried about the lead content of toys, most childhood exposure to lead is through paint in older homes. Lead-based paint can cause irreversible brain damage in children, retard mental and physical development, reduce attention span and delay fetal development, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Com-mission. In adults, lead poisoning can cause irritability, poor muscle coordination, nerve damage, reproductive prob-lems such as a decreased sperm count and may also increase blood pressure.


NANOTECHNOLOGY: A Brief Overview Laurie Gneiding, CEP AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc., HDC SETAC Board Member It seems we are bombarded daily with news of newly emerging environmental contaminants such as perfluorooc-tanoic acid (PFOA) and endocrine disruptors. Although nanoparticles have been recognized as a distinct class of compounds since the 1980s, their potential environmental effects are just now coming out. This article provides an overview of nanotechnology in general, mechanisms of fate and transport in the environment, and its potential effects on human health and the environment. OVERVIEW/USES The term “nanotechnology” refers to the manipulation or control of matter at the atomic, molecular, or macromo-lecular level, at particle sizes ranging from 1 to 100 nanometers (“nanoparticles”). Due to their small size, nanoparticles exhibit novel properties and function within the realm of both Newtonian and quantum physics. Nanoparticles commonly occur in the natural environment in materials as viruses, volcanic ash, colloidal matter in water, and sea-salt aerosols. Anthropogenic sources of nanoparticles commonly include combustion products (e.g., soot, welding fumes) along with a wide variety of metallic compounds, metal oxides, aluminosilicates, and manu-factured carbon products. Nanomaterials have entered our everyday lives in manufactured items as diverse as sporting equipment (carbon fiber tennis rackets), sunscreens (titanium dioxide), antimicrobial products (baby prod-ucts, toilets seats, fabrics), medicinal uses (targeted drug delivery, artificial bones), energy sources (hydrogen stor-age), physical detection systems (paint that senses stress fractures), data collection, and virtual reality technology.

Nanotechnology is also used for remediation of environmental contaminants. Commercially available nanomateri-als are available for use in the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, metals, petroleum hydrocarbons, dye-stuffs, and explosives. Nanomaterial-based remedial technologies are currently under investigation in laboratory/bench scale tests to address environmental contaminants such as non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL), organics, NOx, MTBE, BTEX, chromium, and mercury.

FATE AND TRANSPORT The fate of nanomaterials in the environment is affected by the particle’s surface properties and chemistry (e.g., surface catalysis, surface modification through addition or subtraction of functional groups, charge stability, mor-phology, functional groups, and porosity). These characteristics affect particle dispersion/dissolution, adsorption to environmental media, and particle agglomeration, which in turn affect settling rates and the transport mecha-nisms (i.e., Brownian motion vs. advective transport). With regard to the fate of nanomaterials in the environment, size really does matter. Concentrations are based on density and particle size, such that smaller and lighter parti-cles are more likely to remain in suspension. For example, the settling rates in air and water vary by several orders of magnitude between macro- and nanoparticles . The behavior of nanomaterials in soil depends on the physical and chemical characteristics of both the nanoparticle and the soil matrix. Nanoparticles may be adsorbed to soils or they may occupy soil pore spaces and be transported through intergranular flow. In water, nanoparticles tend to be adsorbed to sediments. However, certain nanoparticles, such as C60 fullerenes, which may initially be insoluble in water, may spontaneously form aqueous colloids containing nanocrystalline aggregates (USEPA, 2007). EXPOSURE & TOXICITY Once released into the environment, the potential pathways for wildlife exposure include inhalation, ingestion, and/or dermal contact. Based on the existing literature, the lung generally appears to be the most vulnerable target or-gan. As with macroparticles, deposition in the respiratory tract is controlled by the effective (aerodynamic particle diameter. However, studies have indicated that there is generally greater deposition of nanoparticles within the lung than of macroparticles (NIOSH, 2007). Ingestion of nanoparticles may not be a significant exposure pathway, due to adsorption to soil (which reduces bioavailability) and generally low solubility in water. In animals, dermal contact may be limited as a significant exposure pathway, due to the natural filtering mechanisms from fur/fins/feathers. However, amphibians which have a semi-permeable dermis, may be vulnerable to exposure. The toxicity of nanomaterials is affected by characteristics such as surface charge, particle size, state of agglomera-tion, and coating type. The principle factors affecting the toxicity of nanoparticles include the total surface area presented to the target organ, the chemical reactivity of the nanoparticle surface, the ability to take part in reactions that release free radicals, the physical dimensions of the nanoparticle (which may allow it to penetrate an organ or cell or prevent its removal), and possibly, solubility.


The findings presented in the existing scientific literature indicate that inhalation of some nanoparticles of a certain size may result in an inflammatory response. For example, pharyngeal aspiration of single-walled carbon nano-tubes (SWCNT) in mice, at a concentration of 0.5-2 mg/kg-bw resulted in transient pulmonary inflammation, de-creased pulmonary function and bacterial clearance, and early onset of interstitial fibrosis (Warheit, 2004). Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) exposure in mice at concentrations between 0.3-5 mg/m3 caused systemic immune function alterations but did not cause lung inflammation (McDonald, 2007). Shevedova et al. (2005) de-termined a no-observed-adverse-effects-level (NOAEL) of 392,000 fibers/mouse for SWCNT.

In rats, iron nanoparticles (35-37nm) and other insoluble nanoparticles (20-500nm) deposited in the nasal region have been observed to translocate along sensory nerves (olfactory, ophthalmic,] maxillary, mandibular) and enter the brain (NIOSH, 2007).

Nanoparticles have exhibited toxicity in aquatic organisms, as summarized in the table below:

(From Handy et al., 2008; Carter et al., 2007 ; Isaacson et al., 2007,Karanthansis, 1999). However, no effects were observed on the locomotion, molting, or feeding behavior of Hyella azteca when ex-posed to C60 fullerenes (Isaacson et al., 2007).

NP Species Adverse Effects

Enzyme Ds

Gills Ion Ds Repro. Liver CNS Death

C60 Fullerene

LM Bass X

Minnow X

D.magna X X 100%@0.88mg/L

Zebrafish X X LC50 = 0.13 mg/L

Carp X

TiO2 D.magna X 100%@10mg/L

Minnow X

R.Trout X

Latex Medaka X X

CdTe FWMussel X

Au/Ag Zebrafish X

CNT

Zebrafish X

R.Trout X X X X

D.magna 100%@20mg/L


Exposure to nanoparticles in terrestrial organisms has exhibited adverse effects:

(From Pulskamp et al., 2007; McDonald, 2007; Chen et al. 2005; Wang et al., 2007; Zhu et al., 2008 ; Jemec et al., 2008; Bio-Research Labs, 2006)

The results of recent research suggest that the toxicity of nanoparticles is dependent on surface area due to the probability for nanoparticles to penetrate cells more easily or in a different manner than larger particles (Aitken, 2004; Pulskamp et al., 2007). Further, the results of published studies suggest that nanomaterials are more likely to act as a contact toxicant than as a systemic toxicant, and that the adverse effects associated with nanoparticles typi-cally follow threshold kinetics rather than dose-response kinetics. In these studies, the adverse effects demonstrated high variability within individual populations (NIOSH, 2007). REGULATORY ISSUES Federal regulations that may apply to nanomaterials include the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Toxic Sub-stances Control Act (TSCA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Federal Food, Drug, And Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The applicability of these regulations depends in part on the products lifecycle stage, as summarized below: Extraction/processing: CAA, CWA, RCRA Manufacture of Nanomaterial: CAA, CWA, RCRA, TSCA Distribution/Transport of Nanomaterial: RCRA Manufacture of Nanoproduct: CAA, CWA, RCRA, FFDCA, FIFRA Distribution/Transport of Nanoproduct RCRA, FFDCA Use FFDCA, FIFRA End-of-Life RCRA, CERCLA, FFDCA In 2007, the USEPA issued a white paper that stated “Some current EPA policies and regulations may require modifications to address this new technology.” The USEPA (2007) commented further that “regulating nanotech-nology is using a 20th century approach to health, safety, and environmental regulations promulgated for 19th cen-tury industries to manage 21st century technology.” Thus, the currently regulatory structure for nanoparticles is poorly defined and is not expected to change significantly in the near future. CONCLUSION

Nanotechnology holds great promise for medicinal, energy conservation, environmental remediation, data storage, and other purposes, which has resulted in a recent surge in their manufacture and production. Some studies on human health indicate potential adverse effects; however, relatively little is known about the fate, transport, and distribution of nanoparticles in the environment, and even less is currently known concerning their potential envi-ronmental effects on wildlife. As with any new chemical, society will need to strike a balance between its poten-tial benefits and managing the associated risks.

NP Species Adverse Effects

Liver Spleen Kidney Dermal Lung Enzyme Ds Immune

Cu

Lab mice

X X X

Zn X

SWCNT X

MWCNT X

TiO2 Lab mice X X

Isopod (Porcello scaber)

X

CeO2 Lab rats X


Clean rivers and streams is our goal By Don Nazario, Little Conestoga Watershed Alliance, Lancaster, PA Farmers in Pennsylvania now can apply for another tax credit program that rewards them for conservation practices that reduce erosion and sedimentation. This initiative is know as the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act of Pennsylvania (REAP) and provides transferable state tax credits worth up to $150,000 to each farmer who installs conservation practices. This program would provide improved water quality for all of PA and for the entire downstream region. Everyone needs to reduce their pollutant load not just the farmers. But with excess nitrogen and phosphorous and associated sediment from farm runoff threatening nearly 4,000 miles of local waterways, PA farmers are under pressure to do even more to improve water qual-ity. Most farmers need additional financial assistance if they are to continue farming while trying to protect our rivers and streams. So by working through an open market, the PADEP hopes that the nutrient trading pro-gram and programs like REAP will provide munici-palities and industries looking to reduce their nutrient load an option by working with farmers and helping them create best management practices (BMPs) on their farm.

Life as an HDC Board Member and Why You Should Join By Amanda Maxemchuk, Battelle Previous HDC SETAC Board Member I began my first term as a member of the HDC Board of Directors in 2002 - or maybe it was 2001. I don’t really remember anymore, although I’m sure that for-mer board members Jon Doi or Larry Lyons have that information somewhere. What I do remember is Chris Nally telling me, “It really isn’t that much work. It’s all what you make of it,” and this is very true. Over the years, I have seen board members come and go, and those who put less into it generally spent less time on the board while those who have put their heart and soul into being a high contributer have stayed longer. That’s most likely because the board becomes like an-other family when we put more of ourselves into trying to make the HDC Chapter great. Why do we do it? We do it because we believe in promoting science for the good of our communities and our environment. We do it because there are a lot of great people locally who have great information to share, and if we work hard we can give these scientists, both new and experi-enced, and opportunity to come together to share ideas and knowledge. This lets all of us do our jobs better. Since I became a board member in the early part of this decade, I have gone from being a board member to an executive board member. I have served as VP, Presi-dent and Secretary. I have chaired meetings and work-shops, I have chaired poster sessions and student poster competitions, I have helped identify what you as HDC Chapter members want to get out of the meetings, I have helped bring in people that have been able to pro-vide members with the information they want in order to do their jobs better, and I have loved every minute of it. If I have managed to provide any of you with opportunities to obtain and share the information that you want, then I can say that is has been worth the ef-fort.


Some of you may already know that I took a job with Battelle in Duxbury, MA back in November as a Prin-cipal Research Scientist. Battelle is a progressive non-profit organization dedicated to science and technol-ogy, and I am very excited to be a part of this team. Unfortunately, however, I am no longer able to give HDC and the Board of Directors the effort that the Chapter needs and deserves because of my new loca-tion and position, and it is time for me to step down and give somebody else an opportunity to serve. Per-haps I will be able to contribute again in the future as a presenter. I am sad to be leaving something I have enjoyed so much, but I know that the Chapter is in the hands of very capable people who will continue to help the Chapter thrive. Please, consider joining HDC as a board member and helping our peers promote science for the good of the environment, for the sake of sharing information, and for the sake of learning. I assure you, it is well worth being a little more tired a couple of times a year knowing that you have helped serve the scientific community. Until I see you again, best regards! Amanda

Ron Macgillivray—Delaware River Basin Commis-sion and Andrew Reif—United States Geological Survey

Anne Ellefson—Stony Brook University and Carolyn Bentivegna—Seton Hall University


Hands On Training By Don Nazario, Aqua Survey, Inc. HDC SETAC Vice President (2008-2009) Since joining Aqua Survey, Inc. at the beginning of 2007 I have had numerous opportunities to explore, first hand, the environmental market. Instead of al-ways meeting with clients in their office behind a desk, now I am meeting these professionals where they are focusing their efforts, at their project site. It is here where Aqua Survey becomes the arms and legs for these clients to reach out into the waterways and sup-port their environmental studies.

Gary Lester—EcoAnalysts and Peter Brussock—Environmental Liability Management

Being in the field has never been an active part of my career over the years and so now I look forward to an opportunity to help out on a project. Working in New York Harbor in the channel near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge I learned hands-on how to use a weight package in a heavy current for a sediment vi-bracoring job. While working in a lagoon in Bound Brook, NJ on a Superfund site I learned how to best collect a sediment core to minimize loss even though the sediment didn’t want to stick and kept sliding out of the core catcher. And at a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site in Scranton, Pennsylvania I saw how a markout survey can be done without actually putting any of the equipment in the water. Although the site looked like a pond it actually had only a few inches of water sitting on top of soft sediment. It’s projects of this type that provide me the first hand knowledge to speak freely about all of Aqua Survey’s capabilities and services. And occasionally the client is not an engineering consultant but a scientific expe-dition. This past year I spent a few days working in Jersey City, NJ offering assistance to the Abora III crew as they prepared for their trans-atlantic voyage. This experience brought me face-to-face with scien-tists who weren’t afraid to prove their point, even if it meant sailing a reed vessel all the way across the At-lantic Ocean. Aqua Survey continues to be involved with unique projects and I’m happy to help out where I can offer assistance. More importantly I enjoy learning first-hand how environmental projects are making our riv-ers, streams and oceans cleaner on a daily basis.


Student Awards, HDC SETAC Spring Meeting , May 2008:

Student Highlights for the 2008 HDC-SETAC Spring Meeting Sean Bugel - Rutgers University HDC-SETAC Student Board Member The Hudson-Delaware Chapter of SETAC (HDC-SETAC) recently hosted our 24th Annual Spring Meet-ing at Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ) on May 8-9, 2008. The Meeting had a dual theme: Emerging Contaminants and Assessment of Risks in Small Tidal and Non-Tidal Watersheds. I'm proud to announce and congratulate the winners of the Student Poster Presentations. I encourage all fac-ulty and students of the HDC-SETAC region to present their work during our Annual Spring Meeting, regard-less of whether or not your work is relevant to the theme of the meeting. Our poster sessions remains diverse and we invite all people to showcase their work in areas of ecology, environmental science, microbiol-ogy, environmental chemistry and toxicology. Visit our website, www.aquasurvey.com, for more informa-tion regarding our recent and upcoming events in our Chapter. You can review meeting programs to get a taste for the kinds of events we host.

Award winners in the Graduate Poster Competition pose with HDC SETAC officers. From left to right: Steve Brown (HDC President), Anne C Ellefson, Xiaolin Li, Anthony W Gerardi and Amanda Maxem-chuk (HDC Secretary).

Graduate Category: 1st Place ($500): Anne C. Ellefson & Bruce J. Brownawell. Novel Methods to Accurately Determine Environmental Fate and Exposure of the Common Plasticizers Phthalate Esters in Urbanized Marine Settings. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 2nd Place ($250): Jun-Taek Oh, Viren Jadeja, Innocent Njoku & Caryolyn Bentivegna. Chironomid Hemoglobin Protein as a Molecular Biomarker for Species Identification and Genetic Diversity Using Hemoglobin Protein in Wild Chironomids from a Contaminated Wetland. Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 3rd Place ($150): Xiaolin Li, Bruce J. Brownawell, Lucille A. Benedict & Richard F. Bopp. Cationic Surfactants: Emerging Contaminants of Concern and New Tracers for Contaminant Source Apportionment, Sediment Transport and In-Situ Transformation of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds. Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY

Undergraduate Category: 1st Place ($350): Anthony W Gerardi & Carolyn S. Bentivegna. Effect of Sediment Capping on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the New Jersey Meadowlands. Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 2nd Place ($150): Innocent Njoku, Jr. & Carolyn S. Bentivegna. Understanding the Effects of Chronic Pollution on Genetic Diversity Using a Novel Microsatellite Gene. Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ


Calling all HDC-SETAC Student Board Member Nominations! Sean Bugel - Rutgers University HDC-SETAC Student Board Member Calling all students in the HDC-SETAC region! My term as Student Representative on the Board of Direc-tors is nearing an end, and I’d like to take this opportu-nity to call upon students in the HDC-Region to con-sider running for the next Student Board Member. If this peaks your interest let me tell you a little about my wonderful experience working with the Board over the last several years. This appointment puts you in the position to work with the other Board Members and help shape our Chapter as well as network with many people in the environmental sector. I felt my opinions were respected and I had many opportunities to partici-pate in new endeavors and in forming HDC-Events. I have also been charged with re-designing our website (www.hdcsetac.org) to improve our media communica-tions and internet representation. The duties and expectations of the Student Board Member are to participate in Board Meetings, input your perspective of how HDC-SETAC can benefit and cater to students more, and to encourage student par-ticipation on the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Student Representative can play a critical role on the Board of Directors and the potential of the next Student Representative is only set by your enthusiasm and willingness to participate. New ideas are welcome and I encourage you to take advantage of this opportu-nity, find your niche and try to make HDC better in your own unique way. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors I’ve worked with, it has been enjoyable. I feel the opportunity has supplemented my graduate work and has offered me a creative outlet outside of the academic environment. The appointment is one year with an optional second, if you are interested and have any questions feel free to send me an e-mail ([email protected]).


The Hudson-Delaware Chapter has gotten a reputation in the last few years as being one of the great fund rais-ing chapters of SETAC-NA. 2008 is no exception, we currently have 21 Corporate Sponsors helping to sup-port our chapter’s activities. This funding allows our chapter to provide quality conferences and workshops at a reduced cost to our members, and aids in paying for many behind-the-scene operating expenses. It also permits us to offer an attractive student award program for undergraduate and graduate students (see page 14 for award winners from our Spring Meeting). Also since 2004 the HDC has presented awards at the Dela-ware Valley Science Fair, a regional science fair for high school and middle school students. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our sponsors for 2008 again as their continued support makes the work that the Board of Directors does a little bit easier. I would also like to remind all our members that these sponsors represent the entire spectrum of environmental services currently available today and that your project could benefit from contacting another member of the HDC for the particular area of expertise you are looking for. If you would like to join our distinguished list of Cor-porate Sponsors, please feel free to contact me at 610-434-9015 or by E-mail ([email protected]). You can choose to be a Sustaining Corporate Sponsor with a minimum contribution of $1,000, a Full Corporate Sponsor with a contribution of $500, or an Associate Corporate Sponsor with a contribution of $250. There is a rather long list of benefits associated with your sponsorship, such as complimentary registration for our spring meetings and fall workshops, so please con-tact me so I can forward the official invitation to you. We hope that our chapter membership will consider getting their organizations involved in our Corporate Sponsorship program! There is no such thing as too many sponsors for HDC SETAC, the more the merrier. Chris Nally — HDC SETAC Treasurer

Treasurer’s Notes Thank You To all the 2008 HDC SETAC

Corporate Sponsors!

2008 HDC SETAC CORPORATE SPONSORS

The HDC-SETAC Board of Directors and our membership would like to thank our Corporate Sponsors for their generous support!!

Sustaining Corporate Sponsors

Rohm and Haas Company Weston Solutions, Inc. Integral Consulting, Inc.

Full Corporate Sponsors

American Aquatic Testing, Inc. AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc.

Aqua Survey, Inc.

Arcadis, Inc.

Environmental Liability Management, Inc.

Exponent Environ Corporation

Camp Dresser & McKee Inc.

Entrix, Inc.

HydroQual, Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc.

Environmental Resources Mgt., Inc.

Environmental Standards, Inc.

HDR, Inc.

Test America, Inc.

EcoAnalysts, Inc.

Golder Associates

Associate Corporate Sponsors

Quantitative Environmental Analysis, LLC

DuPont

Great Eastern Ecology

SGS Environmental

Services

Documents

Fall 2008 Newsletter - HDC SETAC 2008 HDC... · thor of The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise, will be our Monday plenary. He has won the George Polk Award