1. Jennifer Morace, USGS Oregon Water Science Center May 25, 2011 The Oregon Water Conference

2. Columbia River Inputs Study  Characterize pathways contributing directly to the Columbia River Stormwater runoff WWTP effluent

3. Wenatchee Richland Umatilla Vancouver Portland Hood River The Dalles Longview St Helens

4. City and WWTP characteristics City Annual precip, inches Population Columbia River Mile Design flow, mgd Plant Description Wenatchee927,856466.67.1 Activated sludge; secondary treatment; ultraviolet (UV) disinfection Richland738,708337.111.4 Activated sludge; secondary clarification; chlorine disinfection Umatilla84,9782890.92Oxidation ditch; UV disinfection The Dalles1412,156189.54.15Activated sludge; UV disinfection Hood River325,8311652Activated sludge; UV disinfection Portland37529,121105.572 Activated sludge; secondary clarification; chlorine disinfection Vancouver42143,56010528 Industrial pretreatment lagoon; secondary activated sludge; UV disinfection St Helens4610,01986.945 Combined municipal and kraft mill aerated stabilization basin Longview4834,66067.526 Activated sludge; secondary clarification; chlorine disinfection

5. Contaminants analyzed in WWTP effluent  Pharmaceuticals  Anthropogenic-indicator compounds  PCBs  PBDEs  PAHs  Currently used pesticides  Mercury  Estrogenicity Hood River Wastewater Treatment Plant

6. PCBs—Polychlorinated Biphenyls  In general, the more chlorines, the more toxic  Transformers and capacitors, other electrical equipment, oil and lubricants, fluorescent light ballasts, insulation material, oil-based paints, inks, caulking, plastics, adhesives  Manufacture banned in 1979  Persistent and bioaccumulative — found in soils, sediments, and biota  Potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects in people and animals

7. PBDEs—Polybrominated diphenyl ethers  Similar to PCBs, except Br instead of Cl  Accumulate in soil, sediment, and biota computers, TVs, furniture, cars, clothing, carpet, …  Synthetic flame retardants, computers, TVs, furniture, cars, clothing, carpet, …  Concentrations in the environment, animals, and humans are increasing dramatically

8. PAHs—Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons  Originate from combustion and weathered petroleum products  Commonly attach to particles  Metabolized by salmon  Suspected carcinogens  Anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, fluoranthene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, …

9. Contaminants measured in WWTP effluents 4/4 7/8 50/59 12/15 8/9 14/17 9/18 27/104 149/255

10. Percent of detection at each WWTP sampled Total # analyzed Wenatchee Richland Umatilla The Dalles Hood River Vancouver Portland (am) Portland (noon) Portland (pm) St. Helens Longview plasticizers 41002550 2550257550100 steroids 41007510075 100 detergent metabolites 85003850 3863 pharmaceuticals 595341345447 4647 4259 personal care products 156047334753404753475380 PAHs 90011 00 2244 flame retardants 178276 82 65 miscellaneous 174729243524 35 473553 PCBs 184400000000611 pesticides 1041218121513169139 15 overall2553728253329302932303340

11. Compounds found at all WWTPs maximum concentrations shown in micrograms per liter  Tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate – 0.65  Tri(dichloroisopropyl)phosphate – 0.69  Benzophenone – 0.28  1,4-Dichlorobenzene – 0.88  HHCB – 2.5  Cholesterol – E 6.3  3-beta-Coprostanol – E 5.8  beta-Sitosterol – E 3.2  PBDE congeners (47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154)  trans-Chlordane – 0.00019 E = estimated

12. WWTP effluent – PCBS, PBDEs, DDTs  PBDEs detected at all cities 9 congeners analyzed PBDE-47, PBDE-99, PBDE-100 at highest concentrations Richland and Portland highest Higher later in the day (2 to 4 x morning concentrations)  PCBs primarily at Wenatchee  No DDTs detected

13. Pharmaceuticals found at all WWTPs maximum concentrations shown in micrograms per liter  Iminostilbene – 0.4  Citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil) – 0.5  Diltiazem – 0.4  Lidocaine – 0.4  Methocarbamol (Robaxin)– 13  Phenobarbital – 0.2  Tramadol (Ultram) – 0.4  Carbamazepine – 0.12  Phenytoin (Dilantin) – 0.6  Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Motrin PM, …) – 0.11 Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

14. Diphenhydramine  Antihistamine  Uses Relieves allergy and cold symptoms Prevents and treats motion sickness Treats insomnia Controls abnormal movements in people with early Parkinson’s syndrome  Products 89 different brand names Another 112 brand names for combination medications Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

15. Diphenhydramine Present

16. Loadings to the Columbia  Diphenhydramine in Portland 49 mgd from WWTP Average concentration of 0.5 µg/L 93 g/day of diphenhydramine 1 tablet = 25 mg 3,710 tablets/day (155 boxes) Could lead to Columbia concentration of 0.0005 µg/L Detection limit is 0.018 µg/L

17. Implications for sampling  Most compounds would not be quantifiable in the main stem using conventional methods (0.01 µg/L)  Emphasizes the utility of passive sampling Concentrates compounds, therefore lower detection limits Time-integrated sample

18. Contaminants analyzed in Stormwater Runoff Willamette River in Portland at Marquam Bridge  Currently used pesticides  PCBs  PBDEs  PAHs  Mercury  Metals and trace elements  Oil and grease

19. Contaminants measured in stormwater runoff 10/10 12/13 17/18 34/56 3/5 38/93 114/195

20. A few interesting findings…  One location on the Willamette Highest number of detected compounds, highest concentrations  Umatilla sample high solids, 834 mg/L suspended sediment  Flame retardants Many matrix issues PBDE-99 and PBDE-47 were highest concentrations PBDE-153 had the most detections  PCBs Primarily Willamette sample (sum 0.44 µg/L)  Pesticides Chlorpyrifos (0.024 µg/L), trifluralin (0.006), dacthal (0.032), carbaryl (0.4) p,p’-DDT showed up at Willamette site at 0.017 µg/L  PAHs Many, many present, but at low concentrations Hood River and St. Helens had no PAHs

21. Trace elements in stormwater runoff Compound Unfiltered waterFiltered Water MinimumMaximumMinimumMaximum ArsenicE 0.132.60.132.3 CadmiumE 0.020.77E 0.010.6 ChromiumPresent33Present2.1 Copper2.242E 0.6811 Lead0.19530.0312 MercuryE 0.0070.180.01 Nickel0.23220.233.2 SeleniumE 0.050.74E 0.030.61 SilverE 0.0100.25E 0.0060.02 Zinc7.5250E 4.5100 Concentrations shown in micrograms per liter

22. Unknowns  Lack of criteria for “newer” contaminants makes regulation and reporting difficult  Implications for fish and wildlife using the area are not characterized  Impact of mixing zones on the ecosystem is unknown  Foodweb implications

23. Future steps…  Toxicity studies What do these contaminant levels mean to fish, wildlife, and human health Synergistic effects Bioaccumulation  Other contributors – industry, NPDES permit holders  Variability – seasonal, spatial, …  Further characterization

24. Jennifer Morace jlmorace@usgs.gov 503.251.3229 Jack Ohman, The Oregonian, May 2007

25. Oregon Senate Bill (SB) 737  Developed a list of priority persistent bioaccumulative toxics that have a documented effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic life  Final P³ List identified 118 toxic pollutants that either persist in the environment or accumulate in animals  Developed “plan initiation” levels for all compounds on the P 3 list  Effluent samples collected at 52 largest municipal wastewater plants July 1- August 30, 2010 November 1 - December 15, 2010  Requires these 52 WWTPs to develop plans by 2011 for reducing priority persistent pollutants through pollution prevention and toxics reduction for those compounds detected above “plan initiation” levels

26. SB737 Compounds  118 persistent pollutants on SB 737 list  63 were not analyzed in this study  13 were only analyzed in stormwater-runoff samples  42 pollutants analyzed in wastewater 27 were detected Only 4 were measured at least once at a level greater than the assigned plan initiation level

27. SB737 compounds detected greater than initiation levels Chemical name Initiation level Number of WWTPs with detections Number of WWTPs with detections > initiation level Range of detections (micrograms per liter) WWTPs with detections Cholesterol0.0699Present - E 6.3All WWTPs sampled Coprostanol0.0499Present - E 5.8 All WWTPs sampled Anthracene0.0111PresentSt. Helens Fluoranthene0.0411E 0.11Wenatchee