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Housatonic River Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment

Weston Solutions, Inc. for EPA Region 1
and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Location: Pittsfield, MA

OVERVIEW

• Comprehensive human health and ecological risk assessment of PCB, dioxins/furans contamination
  
• Use of cutting-edge spatial weighting approaches
  
• Point estimate and probabilistic techniques used to evaluate consumption of fish, waterfowl and agricultural crops
  
• Evaluated in situ ecological field tests
  
• Significant stakeholder outreach efforts and consensus building

DESCRIPTION

This highly visible 6 year project included the estimation of both human health and ecological risks associated with PCB contamination in the Housatonic River south of Pittsfield, Massachusetts to the Long Island Sound. Notable aspects of the human health risk assessment included:

1. evaluation of more than 200 residential, recreational, agricultural, and commercial use properties;
   
2. assessment of fish and waterfowl consumption, local agricultural product consumption, and direct contact with surface water, soil, and sediment;
   
3. use of cutting edge spatial weighting approaches for evaluating direct contact exposure; and 4) probabilistic risk assessment techniques for the ingestion of fish and waterfowl, including Monte Carlo, microexposure event analysis, and probability bounds analysis.

Notable aspects of the ecological risk assessment included:

1. in situ mussel toxicity studies and sediment triad studies;
   
2. amphibian reproduction and development evaluations;
   
3. mink reproduction and development studies; and
   
4. sensitive community identifications and numerous tissue residue evaluations. Innovative statistical approaches, including Monte Carlo analysis, probability bounds analysis, and geostatistical analyses were employed. Fish toxicity studies using egg injection techniques, biomarker monitoring, and multi-generational effects analysis were also used. All studies were incorporated into the final ecological risk assessment.

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“There is no question that the development of the assessment (HHRA) to its present stage represents an enormous task drawing on the diverse talents of many individuals. I commend the participants for their efforts. They have prepared an impressive work product.”

— Roger O. McClellan
DABT, President Emeritus
Chemical Industry Institute
of Toxicology