#6 - Building a Better Background Data Set
Jonathan Myers, Ph.D. and Karen Thorbjornsen, P.G., Shaw Environmental, Inc.

This course presents practical approaches for establishing background distributions of constituents in soil, sediment, groundwater, and surface water. These methods are applicable to naturally occurring elements and radionuclides, as well as anthropogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.  The course expands on existing regulatory background guidance by including tools for dealing with real-world (non-ideal) analytical data:  handling nondetects; evaluating outliers; how and when to combine subgroups of data; and extracting background data from existing data sets when the collection of new samples is not an option.  The importance of considering geochemistry is emphasized.  Incorporating geochemical evaluations of the data, in addition to the purely statistical methods provided in guidance documents, results in more representative background data sets, provides insight into the processes controlling the concentrations, and enhances their utility in site-to-background comparisons.

 The concepts are illustrated with case studies from the instructors’ work on more than 40 background studies across the United States and Puerto Rico.  Prior knowledge of statistics is not required.  The course is recommended for regulatory personnel as well as consultants, site managers, and others with an interest in improving their background studies.  Course outline:
1. Definitions of “Background”
2. Uses of Background Investigations
3. Use of Local (Site-Specific) vs. Regional Background Data
4. Background Sampling
5. Statistical Data Evaluation
6. Comparing Subgroups to Determine the Appropriateness of Combining Their Data
7. Geochemical Data Evaluation
8. Evaluating the Effects of Organic Contamination on Natural Metals Concentrations
9. Extracting Background Data from Existing Site Data

#7 - The Revised CAM: What You Need to Know
Jim Occhialini, Alpha Analytical, Westborough MA
Don Muldoon, MassDEP, Boston MA
Elizabeth Denly, TRC Solutions, Inc., Lowell, MA  

This course is designed for Licensed Site Professionals and other technical staff who conduct response actions under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan.  It will cover recent revisions to MassDEP’s Compendium of Analytical Methods (CAM).  The CAM, which went into effect in August 2003, is a compilation of commonly used analytical protocols that articulates quality control provisions, performance standards, and other methodological elements necessary for achieving “Presumptive Certainty” for satisfying the data quality requirements of the MCP.   This course will focus on:  clarifications to the requirements for Presumptive Certainty and the use of the CAM Laboratory Report Certification Form; method updates, including the APH and TO15; and communicating effectively with your laboratory when requesting analytical services and upon receipt of results to ensure that everything is in compliance with CAM requirements.

#8 - Perchlorate Remediation Technologies: an ITRC Short Course
R. Lee Lippincott, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, NJ
Paul Hatzinger, Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc., Lawrenceville, NJ
Rose Knox, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Boston, MA

Perchlorate contamination exists in water and soil and occurs widely throughout the United States. Public awareness and concern regarding perchlorate has increased in recent years. Perchlorate occurrence in drinking water and food supplies is a human health concern because it can interfere with iodide uptake by the thyroid gland and result in decreased thyroid hormone production. The ITRC Perchlorate Team was formed in 2004 to address technical issues associated with perchlorate. Many technologies are available to remediate perchlorate contamination, but only a few are commonly used.

 This workshop introduces state regulators, environmental consultants, site owners, and community stakeholders to Remediation Technologies for Perchlorate Contamination in Water and Soil (PERC-2, 2008), a document created by ITRC's Perchlorate Team to help users assess the adequacy of perchlorate remediation projects. This course gives the attendee a background in the available remediation technologies to treat perchlorate contamination, discusses emerging technologies, and presents case studies of applications.

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