Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2007DC85B

Active Biomonitoring for PCB, PAH and Chlordane Pollutants in the Nontidal Sources of the Anacostia Watershed

Institute: District of Columbia
Year Established: 2007 Start Date: 2007-03-01 End Date: 2008-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $14,464 Total Non-Federal Funds: $33,382

Principal Investigators: Harriette Phelps

Project Summary: The research objectives of this 2007 proposal are to address several key questions that now can be asked about Anacostia tributary contaminant sources. These questions are (1) is asphalt sealcoating, which has been banned in cities, contributing to the high PAHs downstream from industrial parks and metro stations?; (2) which upstream industrial park(s) or metro station(s) are sources of the high PCBs in Lower Beaverdam Creek?; and (3) what is the source of the high chlordane levels found in a small first-order tributary of the Northeast Branch? Carrying out these objectives will require stream walking to place active biomonitoring Corbicula (Asiatic) clams at sites close to industrial parks and metro stations and within small streams. The answers will suggest the actions that can be taken to remediate these toxic contaminant sources in the watershed.