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Rao B, Reible D, Athanasiou D, Lou HH, Zhao R, Fang J, Drygiannaki I, Millerick K, Barragan N, Pagnozzi G. Environmental Impacts of Hurricane Harvey on the Neches-Brakes Bayou River System in Beaumont, Texas. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 71:730-740. [PMID: 36378320 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01743-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hurricane Harvey caused unprecedented floods across large regions of Southeast Texas resulting in several infrastructural issues. One of the notable failures was of a drinking water source pump in Beaumont, Texas, that necessitated the emergency use of a temporary pump intake station in the Neches River system. This study examines the environmental consequences of Harvey-induced flooding in the Neches River system by focusing on sensitive locations, including a Superfund site (International Creosoting, IC) and adjacent to the temporary pump intake. Post-Harvey water samples showed greater than two orders of magnitude increase in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) about 3 weeks after Harvey (350-420 µg L-1 on September 22) at locations adjacent to IC and the temporary water pump intake, which by that time was no longer in use. The organic carbon normalized PAH measurements in the heavily contaminated water samples from both locations (~3% w/w) agreed well with surficial soil/sediment samples collected at the east bank adjacent to the IC site (0.7-5.2% w/w). Furthermore, molecular diagnostic ratios of select PAHs supported the contribution of PAHs from the IC site into the surface waters. PAH measurements were consistent with sediment resuspension by floodwaters that were initially diluted by large flows but became more significant as the flood subsided. Overall, our data showed that flooding can cause high levels of contamination weeks after the initial flooding event, with potential for cascading risks through mobilization of pollutants from source areas and impacts to critical water infrastructure systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balaji Rao
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA.
| | - Danny Reible
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Dimitrios Athanasiou
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
- Exponent, Inc., 15375 SE 30th Place, Suite 250, Bellevue, WA, 98007, USA
| | - Helen H Lou
- Lamar University, Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA
| | - Renzun Zhao
- Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Department, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, 27411, USA
| | - Jian Fang
- Lamar University, Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, 77710, USA
| | - Ilektra Drygiannaki
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
- Geosyntec Consultants, Chicago, IL, 60602, USA
| | - Kayleigh Millerick
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Nahirobe Barragan
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
| | - Giovanna Pagnozzi
- Texas Tech University, Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, 911 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA
- Geosyntec Consultants, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA
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Jiang Y, Huang M, Chen X, Wang Z, Xiao L, Xu K, Zhang S, Wang M, Xu Z, Shi Z. Identification and risk prediction of potentially contaminated sites in the Yangtze River Delta. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:151982. [PMID: 34843786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Identification and risk prediction of potentially contaminated sites (PCS) are crucial for the management of contaminated sites. However, the identification and risk prediction methods of PCS are lacking at a regional scale. Here, we established the fuzzy matching algorithm based on the site's name for identifying PCS in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that PCS in the YRD increased by over ten times, from 336 in 2000 to 4191 in 2020. Socio-economic and physical geography drive the growth of PCS and its spatiotemporal distribution, while the former has a more significant impact than the latter. We also presented a risk probability zoning strategy based on the source-pathway-receptor model, and proposed the patch-generating land-use simulation model to predict the risk probability of PCS in 2030. The results of risk probability zoning from 2000 to 2020 indicated that the local government of the YRD has started to pay attention to PCS management and risk control while developing social and economic. The results of risk prediction demonstrated that the proportion of low-risk probability pixels is 96.1% in 2030. Therefore, the planned indicator in the Action Plan on contaminated sites established by the State Council of China can be achieved in the YRD. Our experience in identifying and predicting PCS can inform how the local government worldwide manages PCS and tackles future challenges of achieving the ambition of site pollution control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yefeng Jiang
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingxiang Huang
- Information Center of Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Xueyao Chen
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhige Wang
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liujun Xiao
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kang Xu
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mingming Wang
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhe Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhou Shi
- Institute of Agricultural Remote Sensing and Information Technology Application, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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National Hazards Vulnerability and the Remediation, Restoration and Revitalization of Contaminated Sites-2. RCRA Sites. SUSTAINABILITY 2021; 13:1-16. [PMID: 34123411 DOI: 10.3390/su13020965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Natural hazards can be powerful mechanisms that impact the restoration of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) contaminated sites and the community revitalization associated with these sites. Release of hazardous materials following a natural hazard can impact communities associated with these sites by causing the release of hazardous or toxic materials. These releases can inhibit the restoration of the sites, thus altering the long-term sustainable community revitalization. Hazard-related contaminant releases in areas characterized by large populations can create problems equal to those posed by the original site clean-up. Similarly, natural hazards can enhance the probability of future issues associated with the renovated sites. This manuscript addresses the co-occurrence of 12 natural hazards (singly and in combination) at individual RCRA sites. The co-occurrence was determined by the co-location of exposure likelihoods determined from the Cumulative Resilience Screening Index (CRSI) and the site locations for RCRA facilities provided by Environmental Protection Agency. Results showed that several natural hazards were likely to occur at RCRA facilities and these occurrences should be included in management and policy evaluations of these sites.
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