The primary purpose of this study was to characterize arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) concentrations in former orchard soils contaminated with lead arsenate pesticides at the Hanford site in Washington state (USA). Surface samples (n = 31) were collected from former orchard soils (in cultivation during the pre-Hanford period) at five locations at the 100 Areas and at one location at the Old Hanford Townsite (OHT). Another set of samples (n = 17) was collected over a soil depth interval of 10-50 cm at the four locations with the highest As and Pb surface concentrations. All samples were analyzed for 22 trace elements (including As and Pb) with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The mean, standard deviation, and range for As in the surface soils were 30, 61, and 2.9-270 mg/kg dry wt, respectively. The corresponding statistics for Pb were 220, 460, and 6.5-1900 mg/kg dry wt, respectively. As and Pb concentrations in the surface soils were positively and significantly correlated (r = 0.91, Bonferroni p < 0.05). Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were also computed for other trace elements. As and Pb mean concentrations in the surface soils each differed significantly (p < 0.05) among Hanford locations, with the highest concentrations at the 100-H and 100-F Areas. Although both As and Pb mean concentrations decreased with soil depth, regression and correlation coefficients only, for Pb significantly differed from zero (b = -0.0372, r = -0.805, Bonferroni p < 0.05). Compared with data in the literature As and Pb concentrations found in this study exceeded background levels but were typical of orchard soils. Furthermore, mean As and Pb soil concentrations were in the range of various toxicological benchmarks derived for protection of human and ecological receptors.

The purpose of this study was to assess ecotoxicity of former orchard soils contaminated with lead arsenate pesticides at the Hanford Site in Washington state (USA). Surface soil, plant, and invertebrate samples were collected from 11 sites in former orchard areas. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) for As and Pb in soil were 39.5 (40.6) and 208 (142) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 11). These concentrations exceeded Hanford background levels but were similar to orchard soils elsewhere. In our study, As and Pb soil concentrations were positively and significantly correlated (r = 0.87, Bonferroni P < 0.05). Speciation of total inorganic As in soil (n = 6) demonstrated that As+5 was the dominant form (>99%). Mean (SD) for As and Pb in cheatgrass were 3.9 (7.9) and 12.4 (20.0) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 11), while mean (SD) for As and Pb in darkling beetles were 5.4 (2.6) and 3.9 (3.0) mg/kg dry wt, respectively (n = 8). Linear regressions were constructed to estimate soil to cheatgrass and soil to darkling beetle uptake for As and Pb. These were significant (Bonferroni P < 0.05) only for cheatgrass versus soil (As) and darkling beetle versus soil (Pb). Standardized lettuce seedling and earthworm bioassays were performed with a subset of soil samples (n = 6). No significant effects (P > 0.05) were observed in lettuce survival or growth nor in earthworm survival or sublethal effects. Based on these bioassays, unbounded no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) in soil for As and Pb were 128 and 390 mg/kg dry wt, respectively. However, our range of soil concentrations generally overlapped a set of ecotoxicological benchmarks reported in the literature. Given uncertainty and limited sampling related to our NOECs, as well as uncertainty in generic benchmarks from the literature, further study is needed to refine characterization of As and Pb ecotoxicity in former orchard soils at the Hanford Site.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential ecotoxicity of riverbank springs along the Columbia River on the Hanford site where nuclear materials were historically produced. Water samples from seven springs were collected during 1994 -1995. Bioassays were conducted with ( ) ( Pimephales promelas fathead minnows for survival and growth and with Ceriodaphnia dubia daph-) nids for survival and reproduction. Synoptic chemical data were used to supplement interpretation ( ) of bioassay results. Significant decreases p -0.05 in survival were observed for two springs in both P.( ) promelas and C. dubia at separate locations during 1994. Significant reductions p -0.05 in C. dubia ( ) reproduction were found for six springs in 1994 and one in 1995. A stimulatory effect p -0.05 was also observed for this endpoint at another spring in 1995. Reproduction was the most sensitive endpoint evaluated in terms of both number of adverse effects identified and test water concentration, while growth was the least sensitive endpoint. One or more toxicological benchmarks were equaled or exceeded for all riverbank spring samples where toxicity was observed. For the contaminants evaluated, ( ) heavy metals e.g., Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn may have contributed to the observed toxicity. Despite limitations of employing synoptic chemical data to supplement sample characterization and extrapolating laboratory bioassay data to the field, results of this study demonstrated ecotoxicity associated with several riverbank springs, presumably reflecting contamination of groundwater on the Hanford site.

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