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Rebecca A. Efroymson Landscape Ecology & Regional Analysis Group Environmental Sciences Division Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6036 Phone:  (865)574-7397 Fax:  (865)576-8543 efroymsonra@ornl.gov

Curriculum Vitae

Background/Education

• Ph.D, Environmental Toxicology, 1993, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• M.S., Environmental Toxicology, 1990, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• B.A., Biology/English, 1987, La Salle University, Philadelphia, PA

Research Interests

All of my work relates to the interdisciplinary, applied field of ecological risk assessment. Several years ago, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory ecological risk assessment group performed risk assessments for contaminated burial grounds, ponds, streams, and watersheds on the Oak Ridge Reservation. My own work emphasized the evaluation of risks to plants, soil invertebrates and microbial processes from metals and organic chemicals. This work led to the identification of research gaps, i.e., tools that were needed to support ecological risk assessments, such as bioaccumulation models and ecotoxicity benchmarks. Lately, our risk assessment group has been supporting the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to develop fate, transport and exposure models; to incorporate large-scale spatial considerations into risk assessments; and to develop frameworks for ecological risk assessment of various stressors. I am particularly interested in comparative risk assessment, and I am always interested in doing science to support regulatory needs.

Recent Projects  [ Top ]

Framework for Assessment of Risks of Military Testing and Training to Natural Resources, Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. We are developing a generic risk assessment framework for military training and testing activities, a risk assessment framework for aircraft overflights, and a risk assessment framework for ocean range weapons testing. The risk assessment framework is being demonstrated for an Apache Longbow Hellfire missile test at Yuma Proving Ground.

Total Risk Integrated Methodology (TRIM), U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. We are assisting EPA in the development of TRIM.FaTE, a fate, transport and ecological exposure model for air pollutants. We are currently evaluating the performance of the model, which has been parameterized for mercury. We are also aiding EPA in the expansion of an ecological risk assessment methodology for air pollutants.

Improving Tools and Methods for Ecological Risk Assessment at Petroleum Contaminated Sites, U. S. Department of Energy Fossil Energy Program. Working with petroleum industry partners, we are developing tools and methods for improving ecological risk assessments at downstream refinery sites. Tasks include: improving Net Environmental Benefit Analysis methodology, developing bioaccumulation models for chemical contaminants found at downstream sites, developing spatial analysis methods for risk assessment of vegetation and wildlife.

An Ecological Framework to Evaluate Impacts of Petroleum Exploration & Production (E&P) Sites, Working with collaborators at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and petroleum industry partners, we will develop spatially-explicit methods for assessing risk at E&P sites. At some spatial scales and for some vertebrates and plant communities, the patchiness of habitat may be more important than toxicity of contaminants. One of the project objectives is to determine "early exit criteria," or characteristics of former exploration & production sites that allow petroleum companies to exit without extensive risk assessments or remedial actions. Population viability analysis and trophic modeling will be utilized in the ecological framework. Our first study site is the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Oklahoma.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Land Application of Sewage Sludge, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. This risk assessment was completed in September 1998. Risks associated with application of sewage sludge in pine plantations, Douglas-fir forests, deciduous forests and semi-arid rangelands were determined for plants, vertebrates and invertebrates.

Professional Activities and Affiliations  [ Top ]

• Editor of "Contaminated Soils" section of SETAC Globe Newsletter
• Peer reviewer of EPA Ecological Soil Screening Levels
• Consultant to EPA Science Advisory Board Air Toxics Monitoring Subcommittee
• Invited participant in a Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry workshop on contaminated soils
• Former member of NSF/EPA Water and Watersheds Peer Review Panel
• Member of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Contaminated Soils Advisory Group
• Member of City of Oak Ridge Environmental Quality Advisory Board
• Reviewer for Environmental Science & Technology, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and Journal of Environmental Quality

Selected Publications  [ Top ]

• Suter, G. W. II, R. A. Efroymson, B. E. Sample and D. S. Jones. 2000. Ecological Risk Assessment of Contaminated Sites. CRC/Lewis Press, Boca Raton, FL.
• Efroymson, R. A., and G. W. Suter II. 1999. Finding a niche for soil microbial toxicity tests in ecological risk assessment. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 5:715-727.
• Efroymson, R. A. 1999. Regulating risk: Oversight of microbial products of biotechnology under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management 1:329-347.
• Efroymson, R. A., and D. L. Murphy. submitted May 2000. Ecological risk assessment of multimedia hazardous air pollutants: estimating exposure and effects.
• Efroymson, R. A., B. E. Sample, and M. J. Peterson. submitted June 2000. Proposed benchmarks for evaluating the potential ecotoxicity of petroleum-contaminated soil.
• Efroymson, R. A., B. E. Sample, and G. W. Suter II. 2001. Bioaccumulation of inorganic chemicals from soil by plants: regressions of field data. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 20:2561-2571.
• Efroymson, R. A., B. E. Sample, R. J. Luxmoore, L. W. Barnthouse, and F. B. Daniel. invited and submitted, Jan. 1998. Ecological risk assessment methods for biosolids application in forests. (book chapter) The Forest Alternative: Principles and Practice of Residuals Use.
• Luxmoore, R. J., M. L. Tharp, and R. A. Efroymson. 1999. Comparison of simulated forest responses to biosolids applications. J. Environ. Qual. 28:1996-2007.
• Efroymson, R. A., G. W. Suter II, W. R. Hodge, and S. Nemeth. submitted, Jan 2000. Ecological risk assessment framework for low-altitude aircraft overflights: I. Planning the analysis and estimating exposure.
• Efroymson, R. A., and G. W. Suter II. submitted, Jan 2000. Ecological risk assessment framework for low-altitude aircraft overflights: II. Estimating effects on wildlife.
• Suter, G. W. II, L. W. Barnthouse, R. A. Efroymson, and H. Jager. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir. 2. Fish community. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 18:589-598.
• Jones, D. S., L. W. Barnthouse, G. W. Suter II, R. A. Efroymson, J. M. Field, and J. J. Beauchamp. 1999. Ecological risk assessment in a large river-reservoir. 3. Benthic invertebrates. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 18:599-609.
• Sample, B. E., G. W. Suter II, J. J. Beauchamp, and R. A. Efroymson. 1999. Literature-derived bioaccumulation models for earthworms: development and validation. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 18:2110-2120.
• Bechtel Jacobs Company (R. Efroymson primary author). 1998. Empirical Models for the Uptake of Inorganic Chemicals from Soil by Plants. BJC/OR-133. U. S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN.
• Efroymson, R. A., M. E. Will, and G. W. Suter II. 1997. Toxicological Benchmarks for Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Soil and Litter Invertebrates and Heterotrophic Process: 1997 Revision. Oak Ridge, TN. ES/ER/TM-126/R2.
• Efroymson, R. A., M. E. Will, G. W. Suter II, and A.C. Wooten. 1997. Toxicological Benchmarks for Screening Contaminants of Potential Concern for Effects on Terrestrial Plants: 1997 Revision. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN. ES/ER/TM-85/R3.
• Suter, G. W. II., and R. A. Efroymson. 1997. Controversies in ecological risk assessment: assessment scientists respond. Environ. Manage. 21:819-822.
• Efroymson, R. A., G. W. Suter II, B. E. Sample, and D. S. Jones. 1996. Preliminary Remediation Goals for Ecological Endpoints. ES/ER/TM-162/R1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
• O'Neill, R. V., J. R. Kahn, J. R. Duncan, S. Elliott, R. Efroymson, H. Cardwell, and D. W. Jones. 1996. Economic growth and sustainability: a new challenge. Ecological Applications 6:23-24.
• Efroymson, R. A., and M. Alexander. 1995. Reduced mineralization of low concentrations of phenanthrene because of sequestering in nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Environ. Sci. Technol. 29:515-521.
• Efroymson, R. A., and M. Alexander. 1994. Role of partitioning in biodegradation of phenanthrene dissolved in nonaqueous-phase liquids. Environ. Sci. Technol. 28:1172-1179.
• Efroymson, R. A., and M. Alexander. 1994. Biodegradation in soil of hydrophobic pollutants in nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 13:405-411.
• Efroymson, R. A., and M. Alexander. 1991. Biodegradation by an Arthrobacter species of hydrocarbons partitioned into an organic solvent. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 57:1441-1447.
• Pimentel, D., M. S. Hunter, J. A. LaGro, R. A. Efroymson, J. C. Landers, F. T. Mervis, C. A. McCarthy, and A. E. Boyd. 1989. Benefits and risks of genetic engineering in agriculture. BioScience 39:606-614.

September 2005