Susan B. Kane Driscoll, Ph.D.

Dr. Kane Driscoll is an aquatic toxicologist, with 19 years experience in toxicology, specializing in ecological risk assessment, environmental chemistry, sediment toxicity testing, and the toxicity and bioavailability of sediment-associated contaminants to aquatic organisms and wildlife. Dr. Driscoll has directed or participated in numerous ecological risk assessments for RCRA, Superfund, and hazardous waste sites, serving a variety of industrial, utility, and governmental clients. She has extensive experience in designing and conducting laboratory and field aquatic toxicity and environmental fate studies in accordance with rigorous quality assurance practices. She has designed and contributed to numerous environmental programs that were used to develop technically defensible solutions to environmental problems and has negotiated their acceptance with state and federal authorities.

Dr. Driscoll is a specialist in the field of sediment toxicology and her original research and publications in the areas of bioavailability and toxicity of sediment-associated contaminants are widely cited. She has extensive knowledge of sediment toxicity testing, the technical basis and predictive ability of various sediment quality benchmarks, and has served as a reviewer for the development of emerging benchmarks.

Kane Driscoll SB, Burgess RM. An overview of the development, status, and application of equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks for PAH Mixtures. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 2007; 13:2:286–301.

Kane Driscoll SB, Amos CB, McArdle ME, Southworth B, Menzie CA, Coleman A. Use of Equilibrium Partitioning Sediment Benchmarks (ESBs) to predict toxicity of PAH contaminated sediments. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA, 1010371, 2005.

Kane Driscoll SB, Amos CB, McArdle ME, Southworth B, Menzie CA, Coleman A. Sediment biotoxicity at former MGP and coking sites. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA; New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Binghamton, NY; Central Hudson, Poughkeepsie, NY; and PSEG Services, LLC, Newark, NJ, 1011168, 2004.

Kane Driscoll SB, McArdle ME, M.S., Menzie CA, Thompson T, Mortensen L, Fitzpatrick A. Using Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in sediments for judging toxicity to aquatic life: Volume I and II, EPRI Final Report. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA, 1005280, 2003.

Kane Driscoll SB, Wickwire WT, Cura JJ, Vorhess DJ, Butler CL, Williams LW, Moore DW, Bridges TS. A comparative screening-level ecological and human health risk assessment for dredged material management alternatives in New York/New Jersey Harbor. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 2002; 8(3):603-626.

Vorhees DJ , Kane Driscoll SB, Von Stackelberg K, Cura JJ, Bridges TS. An evaluation of sources of uncertainty in a dredged material assessment. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 2002; 8(2):369-389.

Kane Driscoll SB, Menzie CA, Burton GA, Williams J, Coleman A. Review of toxicology of PAHs in invertebrate aquatic organisms. EPRI Final Report. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA, 1006594, 2001.

Landrum PF, Tigue EA, Kane Driscoll SB, Gossiaux DC, Van Hoof PL, Gedeon ML, Adler M. Bioaccumulation of PCB congeners by Diporeia spp.: Kinetics and factors affecting bioavailability. J. Great Lakes Res 2001; 27(2):117-133.

Kane Driscoll SB, Schaffner SC, Dickhut RM. Toxicokinetics of fluoranthene to the amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus, in water-only and sediment exposures. Mar Environ Res 1998; 45(3):269-284.

Kane Driscoll SB, Landrum PF. A comparison of equilibrium partitioning and critical body residue approaches for predicting toxicity of sediment associated fluoranthene to freshwater amphipods. Environ Toxicol Chem 1997; 16(10):2179-2186.

Kane Driscoll SB, Harkey GA, Landrum PF. Accumulation and toxicity of fluoranthene in sediment bioassays with freshwater amphipods. Environ Toxicol Chem 1997; 16(4):742-753.

Kane Driscoll SB, Landrum PF, Tigue EA. Accumulation and toxicity of fluoranthene in water only bioassays with freshwater amphipods. Environ Toxicol Chem 1997; 16(4):754-761.

Harkey GA, Kane Driscoll SB, Landrum PF. Effect of feeding in 30-day bioaccumulation assays using Hyalella azteca in fluoranthene-dosed sediment. Environ Toxicol Chem 1997; 16(4):762-769.

Kane Driscoll SB, McElroy AE. Elimination of sediment-associated benzo[a]pyrene and its metabolites by polychaete worms exposed to 3-methylcholanthrene. Aquat Toxicol 1997; 39(1):77-91.

Kane Driscoll SB, McElroy AE. Bioaccumulation and metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene in three species of polychaete worms. Environ Toxicol Chem 1996; 15:1401-1410.

Published Abstracts of Presentations

Kane Driscoll SB. A methodology for deriving a dietary dose of PAHs that is protective of fish. Platform presentation, International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments in Savannah, GA, January 22–24, 2007. Session chair: “Bioavailability of Contaminants.”

Kane Driscoll SB, Reiss M, Steevens J. Development of a novel dose-based toxicity benchmark for exposure of fish to PAHs. 26th Annual Meeting of SETAC North America, Baltimore, MD, November 16-20, 2005.

Kane Driscoll SB, Reiss M, Steevens J. Development of a database of toxic doses of PAHs to fish. 18th Biennial Conference of the Estuarine Research Federation, Norfolk, VA, October 16-20, 2005.

Kane Driscoll SB, Menzie CA, McArdle ME, Coleman A. Application of site-specific equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks for PAH mixtures to manufactured gas plants. 25th Annual Meeting of SETAC North America, Portland, OR, November 14-18, 2004.

Kane Driscoll SB, McArdle ME, Menzie CA, Thompson T, Coleman A. Application of sediment quality guidelines for PAHs to manufactured gas plants. 2nd International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments, Venice, Italy, 2003.

Kane Driscoll SB, T. Bridges, Cura JJ, M. McArdle, and M. Nelson. A review of comparative risk assessment methods and their applicability to dredged material management decisions. 23rd Annual Meeting of SETAC North America, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 16-20, 2002.

Kane Driscoll SB. Sediment accumulation and toxicity of Fluoranthene to freshwater amphipods. Benthic Ecology Meeting, Columbia, SC, March 7-10, 1996.

Kane Driscoll SB, Landrum PF. Bioaccumulation and critical body burden of Fluoranthene in estuarine amphipods. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Washington, DC, 1996.

Kane Driscoll SB, Landrum PF. Toxicokinetics and critical body burdens of Fluoranthene in amphipod bioassays with Hyalella azteca and Diporeia sp. Invited talk, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vancouver, BC, 1995.

Kane Driscoll SB, McElroy AE. A comparison of bioaccumulation and biotransformation of benzo[a]pyrene in three species of polychaete worms. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Houston, TX, 1993.

Kane Driscoll SB, McElroy AE. Biotransformation of benzo[a]pyrene by three species of polychaete. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Cincinnati, OH, 1992.

• Senior Managing Scientist, Menzie-Cura & Assoc., Inc. (1997–2006)
• Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, Bioavailability and Toxicity of Sediment-Associated Organic Contaminants, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (1996-1997)
• Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, Bioavailability and Critical Body Burdens of Sediment-Associated PAHs, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Great Lakes Environmental Laboratory (1994-1996)
  

Developing a novel approach for EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) to assess the toxic effects of dietary and water-borne doses of PAHs to fish. Reviewed literature, summarized data, developed a cumulative distribution of doses, and estimated protective dose levels.

Managed an ecological and human health risk assessment for a RCRA site in Taunton, Massachusetts. Designed extensive sampling and sediment toxicity testing program that demonstrated minimal impact to aquatic organisms and wildlife from exposure to PCBs, mercury, and dichlorobenzenes in surficial sediments.

Conducted research for the Electric Power Research Institute and its utility members on the application of the EPA equilibrium partitioning sediment benchmarks for PAH mixtures to contaminated sediments at manufactured gas plant sites. Research examined influence of various forms of “black carbon,” including coal tars and coke, on reducing bioavailability and toxicity of PAHs in sediment to aquatic organisms.

Managed an ecological and human health risk assessment for a former automobile battery manufacturing site in Connecticut. Characterized potential exposure of human and ecological receptors to lead in surficial sediments of a tidal river. Designed field-sampling program, which included analyses of lead in fecal samples and eggs from resident birds, for characterization of site-specific exposure to lead. Used site-specific exposure information to back-calculate health-protective concentrations of lead in sediment.

Managed an extensive review of the available information on the toxicity of dioxin-like compounds to birds. Compiled a database of dose-response relationships that was used to develop a species sensitivity distribution for effects to avian species.

Prepared a technical review for EPA and the Corps on approaches used to characterize the toxicity of mixtures of organic contaminants to fish. Developed a cumulative distribution of toxic tissue concentrations of chlorinated cyclodiene pesticides to fish.

Conducted effects assessment for the Hudson River baseline ecological risk assessment. Reviewed literature on effects of PCBs and dioxin-like compounds on fish and aquatic wildlife. Selected toxicity reference values for use in ecological risk assessment.

Developed a comparative risk assessment framework for the Corps. The framework identifies characteristics of various placement and treatment alternatives for dredged materials that contribute to potential environmental risk. The framework can be used by environmental managers to identify important transport and fate mechanisms and routes of potential exposure, and to illustrate the need for a comprehensive site assessment.

Examined environmental impacts associated with the release of a plume of high pH groundwater from an industrial landfill. Assisted in the development of a sampling program to demonstrate that high pH groundwater was not mobilizing naturally occurring metals in soil.

• American Chemical Society (member)
• Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (member, editorial reviewer and former member of the Board of Directors for the North American Chapter)