Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Environmental Science

Historical and current anthropogenic activity combined with land turnovers and rampant vacancies have increased human exposure risk to contaminants. This exposure risk disproportionately affects lower income communities and can have detrimental impacts on human health, particularly children. A management solution is needed to address this widespread contamination of vacant lots. Additionally, federal and state regulators continue to lower residential soil Pb standards which will likely require new risk-based approaches to address urban soil Pb contamination. This dissertation examines three different amendment types (P amendments, Fe oxide containing amendments, and potassium permanganate (KMnO4)) for their ability to address urban Pb soil contamination and reduce human health exposure risk. Remediation strategies that can address both organic and inorganic pollutants are also needed. This is addressed in Chapter 3. This dissertation is written as a series of manuscripts to be submitted to the appropriate journals; this will be reflected by slight differences in formatting. In Chapter 1, readily available P sources (biosolids incinerator ash, poultry litter, biosolids compost, and triple super phosphate) of varying solubility were assessed as soil amendments to reduce Pb bioaccessibility and serve as an inexpensive remediation strategy for urban soil. Contaminated soil from Cleveland, OH was treated with the P soil amendments at a 1:5 Pb:P molar ratio and incubated for 3 months. A slurry analysis was also conducted to assess reduction in bioaccessible Pb independent of time. Pb bioaccessibility was evaluated using US EPA Method 1340 at pH 1.5 and the Physiologically Based Extraction Test (PBET). Treatments were largely found ineffective regardless of IVBA extraction method, incubation duration, slurry analyses, or P source. Method 1340 had one significant treatment (combined poultry litter and BIA) but only resulted in a 8% IVBA Pb reduction. The same treatmen (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nicholas Basta (Advisor); Brian Lower (Committee Member); Steven Lower (Committee Member); Darryl Hood (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science; Soil Sciences

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2017, Environment and Natural Resources

Soil quality has been defined by Doran and Parkin (1996) as the capacity of a soil to function within ecosystem boundaries to sustain biological productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health. A multitude of physical, chemical, and biological parameters can be assessed to provide a comprehensive picture of soil quality. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate long term soil restoration and development of manufactured soil dredge blends by using these soil quality parameters. Chapter 1 assessed the soil quality of an urban site treated with biosolids or compost by comparing data collected over years of sampling after one initial application of the treatments. The results show that biosolids-based treatments leads to overall greater long-term soil quality than compost treatments. However, soil phosphorus in the biosolids-treated soils were of concern for runoff and surface water quality harm. Therefore, the study concludes that no treatment was the ideal amendment for overall improved soil quality, and that a blend of compost and biosolids together could be of interest in future research. In Chapter 2, soil quality parameters were used to assess dredge as a main ingredient in manufactured soil blends. With Ohio regulation changing how dredge must be disposed of, research into the beneficial reuse of soil-like dredge material is vital. Blends were designed by incorporating dredge materials, composts and clay then followed by a bioassay growing rye grass. Interestingly, the smaller size fraction dredge material, which is believed to be unsuitable for reuse, resulted in greater soil quality for the majority of the parameters. The addition of a compost material improved the blends, while clay and fertilizer additions did not result in greater soil quality or plant yield. Dredge showed to be a suitable material in manufactured soil blends for beneficial reuse.

Committee: Nicholas Basta PhD (Advisor); Brian Slater PhD (Committee Member); G. Matthew Davies PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Soil Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2016, Environment and Natural Resources

Management of soil hazards in urban areas requires strategies that are scientifically effective and accepted by both the general public and public health regulators. Soil management options must consider all three of these components during evaluation. The concept of managing soil hazards to reduce contaminant exposure must be expanded to include considerations of soil function and soil health following remediation. Bioavailability assessments must be included with soil hazard assessments to improve hazard characterization. Soil hazard and soil health indicators can be combined in a comprehensive index, though the relative importance of each factor within the index will be site specific. Several recent studies have quantified contaminants in soil, such as lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in many urban areas. When these findings are coupled with slow regulatory movement on potential management strategies, the public's perceived risk for potential exposure may increase. Such scenarios across the United States may reduce public support for widespread contaminant cleanup. Innovative interdisciplinary research initiatives are needed to: (1) evaluate potential contaminants and factors that contribute to healthy, functioning soil, (2) facilitate public and regulatory acceptance of potential soil hazards and treatments, and (3) communicate the public health implications of viable cleanup activities. These studies are particularly needed in vulnerable urban areas that demonstrate variable soil contaminant concentrations over small geographic spaces. Characterizing and addressing these soil contaminants will contribute to and benefit our society from public health, social, environmental, and economic perspectives. Soil contaminants and their impacts can be evaluated within the context of other exposures and individual characteristics, such as proposed in the developing field of exposome public health research. The results from this diss (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Nicholas Basta PhD. (Advisor); Steven Culman PhD. (Committee Member); Darryl Hood PhD. (Committee Member); Robyn Wilson PhD. (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Health; Environmental Management; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Public Health; Soil Sciences