Sandip Chattopadhyay

• Ph.D.
• Lead Engineer at U. S. Department of Homeland Security

Journal of Chemical and Biological Defense (JCBD), Volume 2, Issue 1: 148-171.

A radiological emergency affecting livestock could be unintentional or intentional. Exposure estimates were performed in this report to rank the various livestock carcass management options relative to one another for a hypothetical site and mortality scenario from a potential radiological attack or radiological contamination emergencies. A tiered...

This report provides information to compare management options and support decision-making in the event of a chemical emergency and recommends alternatives to mitigate potential hazards to human health, livestock, and the environment. It provides a scientifically based understanding of the potential environmental releases and exposure pathways for...

This report compared various livestock carcass management options and provided decision-making criteria in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak. Healthy livestock can become infected by inhaling or ingesting infective foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDv) released from live animals or the carcasses of infected animals. The potential for car...

The recent development of disease outbreaks in the United States and throughout the world has heightened concerns regarding the potential for exposure to emerging pathogens during wastewater collection and treatment. Emerging pathogens could enter wastewater systems from pathogen shedding in human waste, introduction of decontamination wastewater,...

As the hurricane response efforts transition to recovery efforts, our nation faces the challenges of the management of animal carcasses from catastrophic mortality events. Management of potentially infectious livestock carcasses following large-scale mortalities is essential to protect humans, livestock, and wildlife from hazards; to maintain water...

Four commercially available decontaminant solutions were evaluated for their ability to decontaminate chemical warfare agents (VX and HD) on permeable surfaces associated with subway-related materials of construction. Decontamination efficacies, defined as the percentage of agent removed from the material surface by decontamination efforts, were de...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) has worked with experts from across EPA and other federal agencies to develop a compendium of analytical methods to be used when responding to national homeland security related incidents. These sample collection methods are to be used by laboratories desig...

This study experimentally assessed bacterial water-to-air partitioning coefficients resulting from showerhead aerosolization of water contaminated with Brevundimonas diminuta or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and estimated human exposure through inhalation. Dechlorinated tap water was spiked with two cell densities (109 and 1010 CFU l-1) and cycled at thr...

The introduction of pathogenic biological contaminants into a water distribution system may result in short-term and long-term exposures and subsequent effects on human health if these contaminants adhere to the internal surfaces of pipes, potentially forming biofilms. These studies evaluated the degree to which selected biological contaminants rep...

A decontaminant and method for decontaminating an infrastructural system is disclosed, the decontaminant including from about 3% to about 5%, by weight, of a permanganate compound; from about 8% to about 12%, by weight, of a strong mineral acid; and from about 80% to about 90%, by weight, of a solvent.

Chlorinated pesticides and chlorinated organics can be transformed or partially degraded in sediments under appropriate environmental conditions. Although 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane (DDT) is very persistent in the environment, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), a degradation product of DDT, is generally the const...

This Treatability Report for Abraham’s Creek describes the activities and results of a study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of selected commercially avaiable and natural cap materials in attenuating DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) ethane] concentrations in site sediment. This study was conducted to test the following four cap...

This task order project was performed to determine key parameters that can be used in the sediment diagenesis module. In compliance with the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Waste Load Allocation programs, states in USEPA Region 4 typically employ water quality models, such as, WASP that require some parameterization of sediment oxygen demand (S...

Non-aqueous phase liquids are common and problematic in many contaminated sediment sites. In order to attenuate NAPL migration into the water column and reduce bioavailability, it is desirable to develop reactive caps that are permeable and have an affinity for non-aqueous phase contaminants. The in situ sequestration of contaminants by a synthesiz...

An anthropogenic sorbent material modified for sequestering and/or attenuating multiple chemical and/or biological pollutant species, both organic and inorganic, in an aqueous environment is disclosed as well as a method of sequestering and/or attenuating multiple chemical and/or biological pollutant species, both organic and inorganic, in an aquat...

Mercury (Hg) is a naturally-occurring element that is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. Though efforts have been made in recent years to decrease Hg emissions, historically-emitted Hg can be retained in the sediments of aquatic bodies where they may be slowly converted to methylmercury (MeHg). Consequently, Hg in historically-contaminated sedi...

PowerPoint Presentation

Contaminated sediment sites contain elevated concentrations of metals and hydrophobic organic compounds, such as methylmercury, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), other pesticides, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). The contaminated sediment sites across the U.S. often encompass large areas, some of w...

Adsorption of benzene, chlorobenzene, and naphthalene on commercially available granular activated carbon (GAC) and bimetallic nanoparticle (Fe/Pd) loaded GAC was investigated for the potential use in active capping of contaminated sediments. Freundlich and Langmuir linearizations were both applied to this data, and it was found that the Freundlich...

Mining, minerals, and metals are important to the economic and social development as they are essentials for modern living. However, supplies of minerals, such as coal, are limited, and sustainable management of natural resources requires the maintenance, rational and enhanced use as well as a balanced consideration of ecology, economy, and social...

A Na-smectite clay (Na-SWy-2) was exchanged with various amounts of dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODA-Br) up to twice the cation exchange capacity (CEC). The organoclay (DODA-SWy-2) with DODA-Br added at 2 × CEC exhibited a maximum 4.2 nm d-spacing and a 31.4% carbon content, which demonstrates DODA(+) intercalation. DODA-SWy-2 was evaluate...

This remedial design (RD) report addresses Litigation Area Sites 32 and 33 at Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) in Concord, California. This document was developed to describe the remedial action to provide an in situ cap for the contaminated sediments in the mosquito ditches of Site 32 and also in the southern portion of Lost Slough, which m...

The objectives of this study were to formulate criteria and a quantitative model upon which to base an assessment of chemicals of emerging concern, and then to use selected chemicals to test the process developed in the previous White Paper entitled A System to Monitor and Inform on Chemicals of Emerging Concern.

Phytoremediation has the potential for implementation at mercury- (Hg) and methylHg (MeHg)-contaminated sites. Water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) were investigated for their ability to assimilate Hg and MeHg into plant biomass, in both aquatic and sediment-associated forms, over a 68-day hydroponic study. The suitability of E. crassipes to assi...

Contaminated sediments represent a common environmental problem because they can sequester large quantities of contaminants which can remain long after the source of pollution has been removed. From the sediment these hazardous compounds are released into the sediment porewater where it can partition into organisms in the sediment and bioaccumulate...

A variety of sorbents that could potentially be incorporated as an amendment for sediment caps were evaluated for their effectiveness in sorbing inorganic contaminants including mercury, arsenic, chromium and copper. Sorbents studied included a variety of generic and commercial sorbents including Granular Activated Carbon (AC), Aluminum Pillared Ch...

This pilot demonstration evaluated the ability of the BioGenesis Sediment Washing Technology (BioGenesis Process) to treat sediment containing polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, dioxins, furans, and metals. Design and Operations: A pilot study was performed at the industrial canals of two sites...

ii Notice The work reported in this document was funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) under Task Order 34 of Contract 68-C-00-185 to Battelle. In no event shall either the United States Government or Battelle have any responsibility or liability for any consequences of any use, misuse, inability to use, or reliance...

This bench-scale study was conducted to evaluate the stabilization of mercury (Hg) and mercuric chloride-containing surrogate test materials by the chemically bonded phosphate ceramics technology. This study was performed as part of a U.S. EPA program to evaluate treatment and disposal alternatives to the current land disposal restriction (LDR) tre...

Bench scale experiments were conducted to improve our understanding of bacterial mediation of mercury transformation (methylation), specifically those factors which govern the production of methyl mercury (MeHg) at the sediment-water interface. The results of this study demonstrate that in the presence of an organic carbon substrate, sulfate and...

A method for removing a pollutant from emissions or the environment comprising: contacting a mineral ore or the use of a mineral ore selected from the group consisting of bauxite, modified bauxite and mixtures thereof. Typically, the pollutant is a heavy metal or a microorganism. URL: www.google.com/patents/US7396470

An attractive option for the management of dredged sediment involves the use of dredged sediment for beneficial use purposes, such as for fill material. Treatment (chemical amendment) of contaminated sediment may be necessary to limit the environmental and human availability (bioaccessibility, leachability, plant uptake) of heavy metals associated...

Research on capping technologies is directed at assessing the effectiveness of innovative capping materials, factors that control contaminant release at the sediment-water interface, installation of cap, resuspension mechanism, and gas ebullition. U.S. EPA’s Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division’s (LRPCD) Superfund Innovative Technology E...

Mercury (Hg) is a naturally occurring element that is ubiquitous in the environment. Though effort has been made in recent years to decrease mercury emissions, historically emitted mercury may be retained in the sediments of aquatic systems where they may be slowly converted to methylmercury (MeHg). Consequently, archived mercury in historically co...

Capping is an attractive option for contaminated sediments. Capping has the potential to sequester contaminants, while causing relatively less re-suspension of the sediments than dredging and ex-situ treatment/disposal. This presentation discusses the results of an in-depth treatability study with an innovative reactive capping material. Convention...

The present report discusses the most common methods used for remediating contaminated sediment, the chemistry of mercury and its effect on the sorption of mercury on the sediment. The report also discusses some of the available mathematical models available to predict the fate and transport of mercury in the environment. Finally,the report present...

Arsenic contamination of soil, sediment and groundwater is a widespread problem in certain areas and has caused great public concern due to increased awareness of the health risks. Often the contamination is naturally occurring, but it can also be a result of waste generated from industrial processes. In recent times, the maximum contaminant level...

Site assessment and remediation of mercury contaminated soil and sediment continues to be a problematic situation both in the U.S. and in other countries. Although the production and use of mercury has decreased since the late 1970s, the import and use in some countries are increasing. Managing sites contaminated with mercury requires a thorough si...

Conventional sand caps have several limitations. Because they primarily provide physical containment of contaminated sediments, sand caps have to be several feet thick, which may impact navigational and other uses of the water body. Also, heavy metal contaminants tend to be more soluble than organic contaminants and can migrate to the water column...

Although industrial and commercial uses of mercury have been curtailed in recent times, there is a demonstrated need for the development of reliable hazardous waste management techniques because of historic operations that have led to significant contamination and ongoing hazardous waste generation. This study was performed to evaluate whether the...

Three locations in the midwestern US were evaluated for saline reservoir sequestration of CO2 transported from refineries and chemical plants along existing pipeline rights-of-way. Based on formation volume calculations, the potential storage capacity in a single formation (the Mt. Simon Sandstone) is in the range of several billion tons. Compositi...

This study was undertaken as a part of the development of treatment alternatives for waste materials, primarily waste rock and roaster tailings, from sites contaminated by mercury (Hg) mining wastes. Leaching profiles of waste rock over a range of pH and oxidation-reduction (Eh) conditions were performed. Because iron (Fe) is present in large quant...

This report documents the investigation, characterization, and evaluation of biocides that demonstrate potential for ballast water treatment application. A literature search was conducted for information on various aspects of biocides, including their biological treatment efficacy, environmental acceptability, and shipboard safety and practicality,...

This chapter presents results of a recently completed study in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to conduct research on the feasibility of CO2 sequestration in deep saline formations. The overall objective of this geochemical study was to enhance understanding of the interactions b...

Concern over the potential effects of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) on global climate has triggered extensive studies on ways to reduce emissions of these gases. CO2 disposal in deep saline reservoirs has emerged as one of the most attractive long-term, technology-based options for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. One way to red...

A predictive screening model was developed for fate and transport of viruses in the unsaturated zone by applying the final value theorem of Laplace transformation to previously developed governing equations. A database of input parameters allowed Monte Carlo analysis with the model. The resulting kernel densities of predicted attenuation during per...

This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the stabilization and encapsulation technique developed by Argonne National Laboratory, called the Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics technology for Hg- and HgCl2 -contaminated synthetic waste materials. Leachability tests were carried out by the constant-pH leaching test, the Toxicity Characteris...

This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the stabilization and encapsulation technique developed by Argonne National Laboratory, called the Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics technology for Hg- and HgCl2 -contaminated synthetic waste materials. Leachability tests were carried out by the constant-pH leaching test, the Toxicity Characteris...

There is an increasing concern about the protection of groundwater from contamination by enteric viruses and the prevention of outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Knowledge of survivability and transport of viruses from their point of origin is necessary to determine their potential effects on the neighboring groundwater systems. The distribution of...

This study was undertaken as a part of developing treatment alternatives for waste materials, primarily waste rock and roaster tailings, from sites contaminated with mercury (Hg) mining wastes. Leaching profiles of waste rock over a range of different pH and oxidation-reduction (Eh) conditions were performed. Since iron (Fe) is present in large qua...

Methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is an oxygenated compound generally used to enhance the octane rating of gasoline and other fuels. However, fuel spills have led to extensive contamination in soil and groundwater, and preliminary toxicological data have shown that MTBE is a potential health risk to humans. In many aquifers, the rate of migration...

Clear Lake in northern California has received inputs of mercury (Hg) mining wastes from the Sulfur Bank Mercury Mine (SBMM). About 1.2 million tons of Hg-contaminated overburden and mine tailings were distributed over a 50-ha surface area due to mining operations from 1865 to 1957 (Gerlach et al., 2001). The SBMM includes an open, unlined mine pit...

The fate and transport of viruses in soil and aquatic environments were studied with respect to the different forces involved in the process of sorption of these viruses on soil particles. In accordance with the classical DLVO theory, we have calculated the repulsive electrostatic forces and the attractive van der Waals forces. Bacteriophages have...

The effects of the presence of a cationic surfactant on the sorption of two typical nitrogen heterocyclic compounds (NHCs) on swelling and nonswelling phyllosilicates were investigated. The addition of a cationic surfactant to a NHC-phyllosilicate system can either solubilize the sorbed NHC molecules or immobilize the suspended NHC molecules, depen...

The focus of the study was understanding the mechanism of transport and sorption of viruses in soil, along with investigating the effect of chemical contaminants on the survivability of viruses. Sample collection, analyses of various media, bench-scale treatability testing and field applications were discussed.

The ability to predict the fate of microorganisms in soil is dependent on an understanding of the process of their sorption on soil and subsurface materials. Presently, we have focused on studying the thermodynamics of sorption of bacteriophages (T-2, MS-2, and φX-174) on clays (hectorite, saponite, kaolinite, and clay fraction of samples collected...

In order to forecast the effect of viruses contaminating the ground water supply, sorption of pathogens on soil and subsurface materials was studied. Considering that change in free energy for the process is directly proportional to the degree of sorption, a model has been developed using thermodynamic principles to predict sorption and to elicit i...

The present study focused on understanding the sorption characteristics of acridine (AcN) and acridine-9-carboxylic acid (AcNCOOH), two typical nitrogen heterocyclic compounds (NHCs), on well-characterized phyllosilicates (hectorite, saponite, and muscovite). Results presented in this article show that the degree of sorption of NHCs on phyllosilica...

This chapter presents a process simulation model developed for the Limestone Emission Control process. The process involves contacting flue gas with a densely packed, wet bed of granular limestone. The process model includes the chemistry, mass transfer, and heat transfer associated with this system along with sorbent screening and recycle steps oc...

Direct physical methods such as, optical spectroscopy, can provide a wealth of information on the chemical interactions of organic adsorbates with mineral surfaces. Probing an organic sorbate-clay complex with electromagnetic radiation can elucidate the information on surface speciation, conformation of the sorbate and the nature of the local chemi...

The objective of this research is to develop preliminary process designs and cost estimates for four different configurations of scrubbers which contact sulfur dioxide laden flue gas with a wet, densely packed bed of 1/4 inch limestone gravel. The four configurations include a fixed limestone bed (ii), cocurrent flow of limestone and flue gas ({num...

Mathematical models for flue gas desulfurization processes using wet granular limestone beds are presented. The models include a first principles analysis of the chemical and physical processes in the reactor as well as overall material balance for the sorbent handling system.