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Pamela M. BarrettPhD Student
Walden UniversityPUBH 8165-1
Instructor: Dr. Raymond ThronWinter 2010
ARSENIC Contamination at Superior, Montana
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Learning Objectives
Basic Understanding
Background Exposure Pathways
Human Health Impacts
Medical Testing for Human Body
Removal Techniques Legislation and
Government Standards
Arsenic
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Characteristics of Arsenic
Organic – a form of arsenic combined with carbon and hydrogen.
Inorganic – a form of arsenic combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur. Naturally occurring
Anthropogenic (man-made)
Chemistry and Environmental Conditions
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2010). FLAT CREEK IMM. (AKA SUPERIOR WASTE ROCK). SUPERIOR, MINERAL COUNTY, MONTANA Friday, January 22, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/.../FlatCreekIMM2010/FlatCreekIMM1-6-2010.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007). Toxic substances portal – Arsenic public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
Navas-Acien, A., Umans, J., Howard, B., Goessler, W., Francesconi, K., Crainiceanu, C., … Guallar, E. (2009). Research: Urine arsenic concentrations and species excretion patterns in American Indian communities over a 10-year period: The strong heart study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(9), 1428-1433. doi:10.1289/ehp.0800509
Tiemann, M. (2008). Arsenic in drinking water: Regulatory development and issues. Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress. Order Code RS20672. Updated July 1, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/08Aug/RS20672.pdf
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Background: Arsenic at Superior, Montana
Why Superfund? EPA: Evaluation and Assessment
Criteria: National Priorities List (NPL)
Source: Tailings (mine wastes) from the Flat Creek/Iron Mountain Mine Site
(IMM)
Source Location: EPA Region 8: Flat Creek Valley north of Superior,
Montana
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2010). ATSDR press room: Final report published for Flat Creek IMM site. Mineral County, Superior, Montana Friday, January 22, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/news/displaynews.asp?PRid=2465
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2010). Public health assessment for Flat Creek IMM Site (a/k/a Superior Waste Rock) Superior, Mineral County, Montana. EPA Facility ID: MT0012694970, January 6, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/FlatCreekIMM2010/FlatCreekIMM1-6-2010.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency.(2009). HRS Documentation Record. Flat Creek IMM. MT0012694970. Retrieved January 19, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfunhtd/mt/flatcreekimm/FlatCreekIMMHRSDocRecordMarch2009Final.pdf
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Exposure Pathways
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/metals/questions/arsenic.html
http://outdoorbaby.net/camping/digging-for-worms
Drinking water contaminated with arsenicInhalation of air containing arsenic Eating food contaminated with arsenicLiving in areas with high natural levels of arsenic ex:/Superior, MontanaOccupations working with arsenic
http://www.empowher.com/media/reference/arsenic-toxicity
Human Risk of Arsenic Exposure
www.consumerreports.org/.../food/food...food/...food.../chicken-arsenic-and- antibiotics/ -
The World Health Organization (2011). Media center: Arsenic in drinking water. Fact Sheet #210. Retrieved January 16, 2011, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs210/en/
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007).Toxic substances portal-public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
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Human Health Impacts
How Arsenic is Distributed in Human Body
Acute- Immediate response
Chronic- Long term response to exposure
Organic arsenic- Less harmful than exposure to inorganic arsenic
Inorganic arsenic-Known human carcinogen (cancer)Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.(2007). Toxic substances portal - Arsenic public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved
January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3Hysong, T., Burgess, J., Cebrian-Garcia, M., & O’Rourke, M. (2003). Original research: House dust and inorganic urinary arsenic in two Arizona mining towns.
Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology, 13, 211–218. doi:10.1038/sj.jea.7500272United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2010). Basic information about arsenic in drinking water. Retrieved January 27, 2011
from http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/arsenic.cfmUnited States Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Integrated Risk Information System. Arsenic, inorganic (CASRN 7440-38-2).
Retrieved January 17, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0278.htm
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Human Health Impacts
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTSAREGTOPWATRES/Images/Arsenic-2-hands.jpg http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/arsenic/
physiologic_effects.html
The World Health Organization (2011). Media center: Arsenic in drinking water. Fact Sheet #210. Retrieved January 16, 2011, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs210/en/
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.(2007). Toxic substances portal - Arsenic public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
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Medical Testing for Human Body
Measuring arsenic blood, urine, hair, and fingernails
Urine test • reliable at short term exposure.
Fingernails • best at six to twelve month period of exposure at high levels.
ATSDR exposure investigation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.(2007). Toxic substances portal - Arsenic public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
Crosby, S. (2011, January 12). Groups meet to review cleanup. Retrieved from http://www.vp-mi.com/mi_county/mi_news/article_7be028be-1e99-11e0-97e6-001cc4c03286.html
Hysong, T., Burgess, J., Cebrian-Garcia, M., & O’Rourke, M. (2003). Original research: House dust and inorganic urinary arsenic in two Arizona mining towns. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology, 13, 211–218. doi:10.1038/sj.jea.7500272
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Removal Techniques
Federal Superfund Cleanup ProgramFuture Activities in 2011
Similar to past history Overview of program
Shallow soil sampling Roadbed sampling Data validation and Reporting ATSDR public health assessment Local contracting Community involvement Cleanup projectCommunity Involvement Plan. (2010, April). Prepared by US EPA Montana Office. Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/mt/flatcreekimm/ Elliot, S. & Opper, R. (2009),Montana’s Official State Website. Governor Brian Schweitzer. News release: End of ASARCO bankruptcy settlement
brings millions to Montana. Retrieved from http://governor.mt.gov/news/pr.asp?ID=749United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). Five-year review process in the Superfund Program. Retrieved from
www.epa.gov/superfund/cleanup/.../fiveyearreviewfactsheet.pdf
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Legislation and Governmental Standards
Laws and Regulations Protect Public HealthMost Important to YOU…..Some Environmental Laws
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) known as Superfund. 1980Purpose: Cleanup of hazardous waste sites.
SARA-Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. Purpose: Establish enforcement authorities –statutory requirements.
Clean Air Act (CAA). 1970. Purpose: Implement air controls and abatement .
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007). Toxic substances portal-public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
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Legislation…cont.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). 1974. Purpose: Regulates discharge of pollutants to surfacewaters.
Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act. 1986.Purpose: Empowers citizens and local officials.
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.Purpose: Source reduction.
U. S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Environmental laws: Environment and public works compilations. Retrieved from http://epw.senate.gov/environmental_laws.htm
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Flat Creek/Iron Mountain Mine and Mill Site
Seep at head of tailings pile in Hall Gulch at Iron Mountain Mine and Mill
www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/.../flatcreekimm/FSFlatCreekfinal030909pdf
Where do we go from here……..
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Proposing the Flat Creek/Iron Mountain Mine Site for Superfund cleanup. Fact sheet. Retrieved January 19, 2011, from www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/.../flatcreekimm/FSFlatCreekfinal030909pdf
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Questions and Comments
Thank you for you undivided attention! Presentation Handouts to Everyone.
Additional copies will be provided at the Superior City Hall. Anytime you have additional questions that you can think of after this session, please feel free to contact me. I will further provide you with additional information and/or additional contacts and resources that may help address you specific concerns. [email protected] or (406) 552-3031
Local Resources: Archives of events and recent updates Mineral Country Public Library City Hall, Superior, Montana News Media: Newspaper-Clark Fork Valley Press - Mineral Independent
Crosby, S. (2011, January 12). Groups meet to review cleanup. Retrieved from http://www.vp-mi.com/mi_county/mi_news/article_7be028be-1e99-11e0-97e6-001cc4c03286.html
Crosby, S. (2010, September 9). Senator Tester meets with EPA on Superior cleanup. Retrieved from http://www.vp-mi.com/mi_county/mi_news/article_b440fe08-bc2a-11df-9090001cc4c002e0.html?mode=print
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Great Resources
Be Well Informed…
More on Arsenic.American Cancer Society. (2011). Arsenic. Retrieved fromhttp://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/IntheWorkplace/arsenic?sitearea=ped
Good information on Superfund cleanup process.United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). Five-year review process in the
Superfund Program. Retrieved from www.epa.gov/superfund/cleanup/.../fiveyearreviewfactsheet.pdf
What Superfund is all about.U. S. Department of Energy . (2011). Office of Health, Safety and Security: CERCLA
orientation and RI/FS (#116): Module 1.: Introduction to the Superfund Program. Retrieved from www.hss.doe.gov/nuclearsafety/env/training/cercla116/module01notes.pdfU.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, SW ,Washington, DC 20585. 1.800.dial.DOE
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Important Local Contacts
US Environmental Protection Agency US Forest Service Bob Wintergurst, OSC
Leslie Sims, Remedial Project Manager (406) 329-3036(406) 457-5032 [email protected] [email protected]
Diana Hammer, Community Involvement MT Dept of Public Health & Environmental Services (406) 457-5040 Division of Public Safety and Health Toll-free: 1-866-457-2690 Steve Helgerson, Chief Medical [email protected] (406) 444-1286 [email protected] Montana Department of Environmental QualityDaryl Reed, DEQ , Project Officer(406) 841-5041 Agency for Toxic Substance Disease [email protected] Montana Office Dan Strausbaugh, ATSDR Montana RepresentativeMT Dept of Public Health & Environmental Services (406) 457-5007 Division of Public Safety and Health [email protected] Steve Helgerson, Chief Medical Officer(406) [email protected]
Health Department Peggy Stevens, Director9406)[email protected]
Flat Creek Web Site http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/mt/flatcreekimmF
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Additional ContactsFor more information, contact:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop F-62Atlanta, GA 30333 Phone: 1-800-CDC-INFO · 888-232-6348 (TTY)Fax: 1-770-488-4178 Email: [email protected] can also tell you the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in recognizing, evaluating, and treating illnesses resulting from exposure to hazardous substances.
Information line and technical assistance:Phone: 888-422-8737 FAX: (770)-488-4178
To order toxicological profiles, contact:National Technical Information Service5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Phone: 800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000
Superfund RepositoriesUnited States Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Superfund Program. Flat Creek Imm (Flat Creek Iron Mountain Mine and Mill). Site status and updates.
Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/mt/flatcreekimm/Information Repositories:
Mineral County CourthouseEnvironmental Health and Planning300 River StreetSuperior, MT 59872(406) 822-3577
EPA Montana OfficeSuperfund Records Center10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200Helena, MT 59626(406) 457-5046Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
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References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2010). Public health assessment for Flat Creek IMM Site (a/k/a Superior Waste Rock) Superior, Mineral County, Montana. EPA Facility ID: MT0012694970, January 6, 2010. Retrieved from www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/pha/FlatCreekIMM2010/FlatCreekIMM1-6-2010.pdf
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2010). ATSDR press room: Final report published for Flat Creek IMM site. Mineral County, Superior, Montana Friday, January 22, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2011, fromhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/news/displaynews.asp?PRid=2465
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007). Toxic substances portal –public health statement for arsenic. Retrieved January 15, 2011, from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/PHS/PHS.asp?id=18&tid=3
Community Involvement Plan. (2010, April). Prepared by US EPA Montana Office. Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/mt/flatcreekimm/
Crosby, S. (2011, January 12). Groups meet to review cleanup. Retrieved from http://www.vp-mi.com/mi_county/mi_news/article_7be028be-1e99-11e0-97e6-001cc4c03286.html
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References cont.
Crosby, S. (2010, September 9). Senator Tester meets with EPA on Superior cleanup. Retrieved from http://www.vp-mi.com/mi_county/mi_news/article_b440fe08-bc2a-11df-9090001cc4c002e0.html?mode=print
Elliot, S. & Opper, R. (2009),Montana’s Official State Website. Governor Brian Schweitzer. News release: End of ASARCO bankruptcy settlement brings millions to Montana. Retrieved from http://governor.mt.gov/news/pr.asp?ID=749
EXTONET: Extension Toxicology Network. (1993, September).Toxicology information briefs.
Retrieved from http://extoxnet.orst.edu/tibs/partperm.htm
Hysong, T., Burgess, J., Cebrian-Garcia, M., & O’Rourke, M. (2003). Original research: House dust and inorganic urinary arsenic in two Arizona mining towns. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology, 13, 211–218. doi:10.1038/sj.jea.7500272
Navas-Acien, A., Umans, J., Howard, B., Goessler, W., Francesconi, K., Crainiceanu, C., … Guallar, E. (2009). Research: Urine arsenic concentrations and species excretion patterns in American Indian communities over a 10-year period: The strong heart study. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(9), 1428-1433. doi:10.1289/ehp.0800509
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References cont.
Tiemann, M. (2008). Arsenic in drinking water: Regulatory development and issues. Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report for Congress. Order Code RS20672. Updated July 1, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/08Aug/RS20672.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2010). Basic information about arsenic in drinking water. Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/arsenic.cfm
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2003). Five-year review process in the Superfund Program. Retrieved from www.epa.gov/superfund/cleanup/.../fiveyearreviewfactsheet.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency.(2009). HRS Documentation Record. March 2009. Flat Creek IMM. MT0012694970. Retrieved January 19, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov/region8/superfunhtd/mt/flatcreekimm/FlatCreekIMMHRSDocRecordMarch2009Final.pdf
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Integrated Risk Information System. Arsenic, inorganic (CASRN 7440-38-2). Retrieved January 17, 2011, from http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0278.htm
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References cont.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2009). Proposing the Flat Creek/Iron Mountain Mine Site for Superfund cleanup. Fact sheet. Retrieved January 19, 2011, from www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/.../flatcreekimm/FSFlatCreekfinal030909pdf
United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Environmental laws: Environment and public works compilations. Retrieved from http://epw.senate.gov/environmental_laws.htm
World Health Organization (2011). Media center: Arsenic in drinking water. Fact Sheet#210. Retrieved January 16, 2011, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs210/en/
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AppendixCOMPARISONS AND CONVERSIONS
The health effects of any toxic substance are related to the amount of exposure, also known as the dose. The greater the dose the more severe the effects. Some chemicals can cause toxicity at very low doses and so it is important to be able to understand how these very small amounts are described. It is especially important to understand how low doses compare to one another and what they represent when compared to amounts of more familiar substances.
Parts per million (ppm), parts per billion (ppb), and parts per trillion (ppt), are the most commonly used terms to describe very small amounts of contaminants in our environment. But what do these terms represent? They are measures of concentration, the amount of one material in a larger amount of another material; for example, the weight of a toxic chemical in a certain weight of food. They are expressed as concentrations rather than total amounts so we can easily compare a variety of different environmental situations.
Sometimes, instead of using the part per ... terminology, concentrations are reported in weight units; such as the weight of the impurity compared to the weight of the total. The metric system is the most convenient way to express this since metric units go by steps of ten, hundred and thousand. For example, a milligram is a thousandth of a gram and a gram is a thousandth of a kilogram. Thus, a milligram is a thousandth of a thousandth, or a millionth of a kilogram. A milligram is one part per million of a kilogram thus, one part per million (ppm) is the same as one milligram per kilogram. Just as part per million is abbreviated as ppm, a milligram per kilogram has its own abbreviation -- mg/kg. Using our abbreviations, one ppm equals one mg/kg.
Kilograms and milligrams are units of weight so they don't apply to volumes of liquids or gases. Instead of a kilogram, the unit of liquid volume most commonly used is the liter. A liter of water weighs one kilogram. If the contaminant is a solid, it is measured in milligrams. Thus, one part per million of a solid in a liquid can be written as a milligram per liter and abbreviated mg/l.
These are the most common units that are encountered. However, with the ability to detect even smaller amounts of contaminants, the terms part per billion and part per trillion are becoming more common. In the metric weight system, a microgram is a thousandth of a milligram. Since a milligram is a millionth of a kilogram, and the microgram is a thousand times smaller, it is equivalent to a billionth of a kilogram. Microgram is abbreviated ug. Thus, a part per billion of solid measure is equal to a ug/kg. Similarly, a part per billion of a solid in a liquid is equal to a ug/l.
Before going on to discuss a real example of how these measurements are used, we can compare metric weight quantities to the quantities we are most accustomed to using. A kilogram is equal to about two pounds. Thus, a milligram is less than a millionth of a pound. Looked at another way, it would take about five thousand milligrams (5000 mg) to make up one teaspoonful of a solid (such as salt). The unit of liquid volume, the liter, is very close to a quart. Thus, a milligram per liter is about the same as a milligram per quart.
CONCLUSION
The ability to measure concentrations of chemicals in a uniform manner provides a powerful tool for the comparison of water quality from area to area, for the establishment of water quality guidelines or a comparison of doses of chemicals as are commonly found throughout the Pesticide Information Profiles. The use of the metric system provides an easy way to utilize both liquid and solid measurements.
METRIC SYSTEM QUANTITIES
For Solids1 kilogram (kg) = 1 million milligrams (mg)so: 1 mg/kg = 1 part per million
1 kilogram (kg) = 1 billion micrograms (ug)so: 1 ug/kg = 1 part per billion
For Liquids1 liter (1) of water weighs exactly 1 kgso: 1 mg/l = 1 part per million and1 ug/l = 1 part per billion
1 kg = about 2.2 pounds1 l = about 1 quart EXTONET: Extension Toxicology Network. (1993,September).Toxicology information
briefs. Retrieved from http://extoxnet.orst.edu/tibs/partperm.htm