Hamilton Harbour Sediment Remediation

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Hamilton Harbour Sediment Remediation

• By Jonathon Bloomfield

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Presentation Introduction

• Hamilton Harbour
• Remediation Alternatives
• Treatment selected for Dofasco boat slip
• Treatment performance

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Hamilton Harbour

• Location
• Canada
• Great Lakes
• Lake Ontario
• Natural Bay (5400H)

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History

• 1800s
• Large forested areas
• 400 H of marshes
• Fisheries (Trout, Herring, White fish)
• 1900s
• Urban, rural, industrial development
• Houses
• Factories
• Farm land

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Environmental Impact

• Reduction in
• Area of Marshland and Forestry (25)
• Wildlife
• Fishes
• Birds
• Water Quality
• Raw sewage
• Coal pile runoff
• Agricultural Industrial outfall

Result Toxic Contamination of Sediment Bed
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Contamination Cycle
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Contaminants in Sediment

• Metals
• Lead
• Zinc
• Iron
• Oils
• PCBs
• PAHs

• Worst effected areas
• Dofasco boat slip
• Randle Reef

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Remediation Alternatives

• Dredging
• Direct removal of toxic material
• Expensive
• Time consuming
• Contamination can increase
• Capping
• Covering layer of sand
• Does not remove problem
• Maintenance

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Remediation Alternatives

• Solidification
• Cement or lime
• Reduces surface area
• Less likely to dissolve into flow
• Stabilisation
• Reactive chemicals (Phosphate)
• less toxic chemical
• Broken down naturally more easily

• Bioremediation
• Oxidants and nutrients
• Natural micro-organisms
• Cheap
• Sustainable
• Takes time

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Dofasco Boat Slip

• Main contaminants
• Oils
• PAHs
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
• Carbon and Hydrogen atoms in benzene rings
• Combustion of all organic compounds
• Carcinogenic

Solution Bioremediation
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Treatment - Bioremediation

• Equipment
• 10m boat
• 8m wide boom
• 6 tonnes chemicals
• Treatment
• 19t calcium nitrate
• 5t organic amendment
• 4 treatments over 1.3 yrs

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Treatment - Bioremediation
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Performance

• First 6 months removed
• 68 PAHs
• 78 oils
• Overall
• 57 oils removed
• 48 PAHs removed
• Cost 80 less than dredging
• Not as effective as dredging

The Remediation was Considered Successful
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Questions ?