Contaminated sediments pose some of the most difficult site remediation issues. Contaminated sediments typically reside in spatially variable and dynamic systems subject to seasonal flow variations and episodic storm events. The volume of sediments that must be managed at particular sites often exceeds one million cubic meters, dwarfing many contaminated soil sites. These sediments are also associated with equally daunting volumes of water and efforts to remove the contamination typically entrains even more water. The environmental security of both NATO and partner countries is at risk due to the pervasive nature of sediment contamination of rivers, lakes and harbors. A NATO Advanced Research Workshop was convened in Bratislava in May 2005 to discuss current approaches to managing contaminated sediments and to identify research necessary to overcome outstanding problems.

In this text, drawn from presentations and discussion of that workshop, current approaches to the assessment and remediation of contaminated sediments will be discussed with the emphasis on in-situ management. Physical, chemical and biological approaches for the assessment and remediation of sediments are all addressed. Developing regulatory and strategic approaches are highlighted with a special emphasis on the potential for biological remediation for the management of contaminated sediments.

2 DANNY D. REIBLEI AND KATERINA DEMNEROVA 1 Hazardous Substance Research Center/South and Southwest, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 2 Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic On May 24, 2001, a total of 102 students and lecturers participated in an Advanced Study Institute (ASI) sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) under our direction. The Institute was focused on in situ and onsite management of contaminated sites. The objective of the Institute was to balance state of the art science with techniques for field application of a variety of technologies for in situ assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. Many of the lecturers were drawn from the ranks of the Hazardous Substance Research Centers, multi-university consortia that have been funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency to conduct research and technology transfer designed to promote risk-based management and control of hazardous substances for the nation. The Centers have made special contributions to the areas of in situ and onsite assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. Such approaches have the potential for being significantly less expensive than other assessment and remediation approaches while maintaining accuracy and effectiveness. Cost-effective remedial and management approaches that are also effective in minimizing exposure and risk to human health and the environment are a critical need throughout the world but particularly in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union where resources that can be devoted to environmental cleanup are especially limited.

Contaminated sediments pose some of the most difficult site remediation issues. Contaminated sediments typically reside in spatially variable and dynamic systems subject to seasonal flow variations and episodic storm events. The volume of sediments that must be managed at particular sites often exceeds one million cubic meters, dwarfing many contaminated soil sites. These sediments are also associated with equally daunting volumes of water and efforts to remove the contamination typically entrains even more water. The environmental security of both NATO and partner countries is at risk due to the pervasive nature of sediment contamination of rivers, lakes and harbors. A NATO Advanced Research Workshop was convened in Bratislava in May 2005 to discuss current approaches to managing contaminated sediments and to identify research necessary to overcome outstanding problems.

In this text, drawn from presentations and discussion of that workshop, current approaches to the assessment and remediation of contaminated sediments will be discussed with the emphasis on in-situ management. Physical, chemical and biological approaches for the assessment and remediation of sediments are all addressed. Developing regulatory and strategic approaches are highlighted with a special emphasis on the potential for biological remediation for the management of contaminated sediments.

2 DANNY D. REIBLEI AND KATERINA DEMNEROVA 1 Hazardous Substance Research Center/South and Southwest, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 2 Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic On May 24, 2001, a total of 102 students and lecturers participated in an Advanced Study Institute (ASI) sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) under our direction. The Institute was focused on in situ and onsite management of contaminated sites. The objective of the Institute was to balance state of the art science with techniques for field application of a variety of technologies for in situ assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. Many of the lecturers were drawn from the ranks of the Hazardous Substance Research Centers, multi-university consortia that have been funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency to conduct research and technology transfer designed to promote risk-based management and control of hazardous substances for the nation. The Centers have made special contributions to the areas of in situ and onsite assessment and remediation of contaminated sites. Such approaches have the potential for being significantly less expensive than other assessment and remediation approaches while maintaining accuracy and effectiveness. Cost-effective remedial and management approaches that are also effective in minimizing exposure and risk to human health and the environment are a critical need throughout the world but particularly in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union where resources that can be devoted to environmental cleanup are especially limited.