Ecological Evaluation Technical Guidance - State of New Jersey

individual congeners to 2,3,7,8-TCDD, for which the most toxicologicalinformation is available. This procedure is commonly referred to as the TEQapproach and was presented and described in USEPA (1987, 2008b) and Van denBerg et al. (1998, 2006). Although refinements and updates to application of thisprocedure have occurred, the basic premise has stayed the same and continues tobe used by the USEPA.The term "dioxins" refers to the 17 tetra- through octa-chlorinated dioxin andfuran and 12 tetra- through hexa-chlorinated biphenyl compounds assigned TEFvalues by the WHO. Dioxins and furans are formed as unintended by-products ofspecialty chemical processes or combustion of chlorine-containing substances.Furans and dioxin-like PCBs occur in various proportions in commercial PCBsunder various trade names. These compounds are highly hydrophobic. Whenreleased into the environment, dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs bind to solidsand are typically found in the highest concentrations in soil or sediment. Highvolume water sampling of surface, ground and pore waters using EPA Methods1613B and 1668A/B can detect and quantify these congeners in suspended solidsand in the dissolved state (USEPA 1994c and 1999c). Biological matrices can beroutinely characterized as well. Testing for dioxin is relatively expensive;therefore, dioxin testing is warranted only under certain site conditions. Someexamples are as follows: when site history indicates manufacturing (e.g., synthesis, blending or storage)or application of chlorophenolic or pesticide and herbicide compounds, whichare known to lead to formation of chlorinated dioxins and furans. Thesechemicals were identified by USEPA (1980) as Class I and II chemicals relatedto dioxin formation and Class I and II pesticides related to dioxin formation,respectively; when site history indicates bleach-kraft pulp and paper mill processes involvingthe use of chlorine and chlorine derivatives; when site history indicates PCB contamination (e.g., contaminated oils or othermaterials containing a high percentage of chlorine-containing substances) thatmay have been involved in a fire, including building interior fires; when site history indicates burning of plastics or other materials containingchlorine-containing compounds (e.g., burning of plastic coated wiring forprecious metals recovery, miscellaneous burning of refuse with high percentageof plastic or vinyl-like materials); when site history indicates chlor-alkali plant manufacturing processes usingcarbon electrodes.As described in Section 5.3, sampling and analysis may be conducted in a phasedmanner with soil samples from source areas prioritized for analysis, followed bysampling in contaminant migration pathways and ESNRs. Dioxin source areasinclude areas of spills, discharges, burning grounds, and ash or waste disposal.Soil and sediment sampling depth intervals are determined site-specifically;however, because dioxin binds strongly to particulate matter, it is most oftenfound in surface or shallow depth soil and sediment intervals, and these intervalsshould be targeted for sampling. The exception to this is when site informationEcological Evaluation Technical Guidance Document 77Version 1.2 8/29/12