Assessment of the Environmental Effects Associated with Wooden Bridges Preserved with Creosote, Pentachlorophenol, Or Chromated Copper Arsenate
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture Assessment of the United States Forest Service Department of Transportation Environmental Effects Forest Products Federal Laboratory Highway Associated With Wooden Administration Research Paper Bridges Preserved With FPL−RP−587 Creosote, Pentachlorophenol, or Chromated Copper Arsenate Kenneth M. Brooks Abstract However, low levels of PAHs were observed in the sedi- ments under and immediately downstream from these Timber bridges provide an economical alternative to concrete bridges. Pentachlorophenol concentrations did not approach and steel structures, particularly in rural areas with light to toxicological benchmarks. Sediment concentrations of naph- moderate vehicle traffic. Wooden components of these thalene, acenaphthylene, and phenanthrene exceeded the bridges are treated with chromated copper arsenate type C probable effect level. Metal levels at the bridges treated with (CCA), pentachlorophenol, or creosote to prolong the life of CCA were less than predicted effect levels, in spite of ques- the structure from a few years to many decades. This results tionable construction practices. Adverse biological effects in reduced transportation infrastructure costs and increased were not observed in the aquatic invertebrate community or public safety. However, the preservative used to treat the laboratory bioassays conducted on water and sediments wooden components in timber bridges is lost to the environ- sampled at each of the bridges. Results of this study reveal ment in small amounts over time. This report describes the the need to follow the construction information found in Best concentration of wood preservatives lost to adjacent envi- Management Practices for the Use of Treated Wood In ronments and the biological response to these preservatives Aquatic Environments published by Western Wood Preserv- as environmental contaminants. Six bridges from various ers Institute. Regulatory benchmarks used in risk assessments states were examined for risk assessment: two creosote- of this type need to be indexed to local environmental condi- treated bridges, two pentachlorophenol-treated bridges, and tions. The robust invertebrate communities associated with two CCA-treated bridges. In all cases, the largest bridges slow-moving streams over soft bottoms were not susceptible located in biologically active environments associated with to the concentrations of PAHs that would be expected to slow-flowing water were selected to represent worst-case affect more sensitive taxa, which typically are located in analyses. Sediment and water column concentrations of faster moving water over hard bottoms. Contaminants re- preservative were analyzed upstream from, under, and down- leased from timber bridges into these faster systems (where stream from each bridge. The observed levels of contaminant more sensitive taxa are located) are significantly diluted and were compared with available regulatory standards or not found at biologically significant levels. benchmarks and with the quantitative description of the aquatic invertebrate community sampled from vegetation and Keywords: timber bridges, preservative, CCA, creosote, sediments. Pentachlorophenol- and creosote-derived poly- pentachlorophenol cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were not observed in the water near any of the selected bridges. Acknowledgment September 2000 We acknowledge the support of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, for this Brooks, Kenneth M. 2000. Assessment of the environmental effects associ- research project. The author expresses sincere appreciation ated with wooden bridges preserved with creosote, pentachlorophenol, or chromated copper arsenate. Res. Pap. FPL–RP–587. Madison, WI: U.S. to Jean Livingston of the Forest Products Laboratory Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. for her detailed editing of this report and Arthur Frost for his 100 p. meticulous identifications of freshwater invertebrates. A limited number of free copies of this publication are available to the public from the Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, WI 53705–2398. Laboratory publications are sent to hundreds of libraries in the United States and elsewhere. The Forest Products Laboratory is maintained in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin. The use of trade or firm names is for information only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimina- tion in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Wash- ington, DC 20250–9410, or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Contents Page Page Introduction............................................................................1 Sediment Quality Benchmarks For PAHs...................22 Background............................................................................3 Site Selection...............................................................23 Previous Treated-Wood Assessments....................................4 Bridge 146...................................................................23 Creosote Evaluation...........................................................4 Bridge 148...................................................................31 Creosote Mesocosm Studies..............................................5 Risk Assessment Summary of Bridges 146 and 148....36 Metal Uptake.....................................................................5 Penta-Treated Bridges......................................................37 Wetland Boardwalks..........................................................6 Sources.........................................................................37 Materials and Methods...........................................................7 Environmental Chemistry............................................38 Site Selection.....................................................................7 Fate..............................................................................38 Sample Location...............................................................8 Metabolism..................................................................44 Data Analyses....................................................................8 Bioconcentration and Bioaccumulation.......................45 Physicochemical Characterization of Water Column.........9 Toxicity........................................................................47 Physicochemical Characterization of Sediments..............10 Loss of Penta................................................................52 Characterization of Biological Response.........................10 Dioxins in Penta...........................................................53 Cleaning of Sample Containers and Equipment...............10 Results From Penta-Treated Cougar Smith Bridge......53 Sample Collection and Field Processing..........................10 Results From Upper Dairy Creek Bridge.....................57 Sample Documentation and Handling..............................10 CCA-Treated Bridges......................................................63 Sediment and Water Analyses for Preservatives.............11 Background Levels and Sources..................................63 Sediment and Water Analyses for Conventional Cycling and Fate..........................................................65 Parameters........................................................................11 Bioconcentration, Bioaccumulation, and Quality Assurance Requirements and Data Qualifying Biomagnification..........................................................67 Criteria.............................................................................12 Toxicity to Aquatic Fauna and Flora...........................68 Sediment Grain Size and Total Volatile Solids............12 Regulatory Benchmarks...............................................70 Infaunal Analysis.........................................................12 Summary of Sources and Toxicity in Aquatic Results and Discussion.........................................................12 Environments...............................................................71 Creosote-Treated Bridges................................................12 Results From Horseshoe Bayou Bridge.......................71 Sources of PAH...........................................................13 Results From Fountains CCA-Treated Bridge.............80 Observed Levels of PAH.............................................14 Conclusions..........................................................................85 Fate of PAH.................................................................14 References............................................................................86 Bioconcentration, Bioaccumulation, and Appendix