Recognition of and Allocation Among Multiple Sources of PAH in Urban Sediments

Abstract The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in urban sediments around the U.S. is well established. The toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic characteristics attributed to this class of hydrocarbons typically warrant their close monitoring, removal (e.g., dredging), or isolation (e.g., capping) in order to protect or revitalize the local urban environments. The high costs and other liabilities associated with any remedial action of urban sediments, combined with the common occurrence of multiple potentially responsible parties (PRPs) with properties bordering urban waterways, is a recipe for legal wrangling among PRPs. Environmental forensic investigations, conducted appropriately, provide the insight necessary to defensibly identify both historic and/or current, point and non-point sources of PAH to an urban water body's sediments. The results from such investigations are sufficiently robust to support technical allocation strategies for determining responsibility among PRPs involved in oil spill assessments, Superfund allocation issues, 3rd party claims, or natural resource damage assessments (NRDA).