Jordan, Ronald 

From: 

Sent: 

To: 

Subject: 

Timothy W Lohner <twlohner@aep.com> 

Thursday, September 24, 2015 10:26 AM 

Jordan, Ronald 

AEP Mountaineer Bioreactor Selenium Data 

Ron, after a limited engineering investigation, it was determined that the analytical results associated with the AEP 

Mountaineer Plant bioreactor effluent sample collected on 2/22/ 2012 at 0745 (Dolan Lab Report No. 120833) are invalid 

and not representative of the bioreactor effluent data collected before or after this event. A number of possible 

explanations exist, including incorrect analytical reporting, poor sampling technique, collection at the wrong sampling 

location, or breakthrough of pump seal flush water. In our review of the compiled analytical data for the system, the 

results for this sampling event are more representative of the CPS effluent sample location than the bioreactor effluent 

sampling location. Thus, based on this observation, it was likely that a sampling error occurred as the two sample 

locations are only a few feet apart. 

Moreover, AEP determined that the bioreactor effluent pump was out of service when the bioreactor effluent was 

sampled on 2/22/2012 at 0745. The effluent pump will automatically start and stop depending on effluent tank level. 

After initially receiving the analytical results associated with the bioreactor effluent on 2/22/2012, plant staff installed a 

flow meter at the bioreactor effluent and instructed their crew to only sample this location at future sampling events 

when the meter detects flow. 

Please contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Tim 

Tim Lohner, Ph.D. Consulting Environmental Specialist 

American Electric Power, 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215 

614-716-1255 twlohner@aep.com 

From : Jordan, Ronald [mailto:Jordan.Ronald@epa.gov] 

Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 3:19PM 

To: Timothy W Lohner 

Cc: Jason F Baker 

Subject: RE: Bioreactor Selenium Data 

Th1s is an EXTERNAL email. STOP. THINK before you CLICK links or OPEN attachments. 

Tim, 

Thanks for checking Into this. That definitely looks odd! Please don't forget that the nitrate concentration for the 

bioreactor effluent also seemed unusually high. Both selenium and nitrates appear to be two orders of magnitude 

higher than the typical effluent values. 

It was good talking to you earlier today. 
Regards, 

Ron 

From: Timothy W Lohner [mailto:twlohner@aep.com) 

Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2015 3:01 PM 

To: Jordan, Ronald 

Cc: Jason F Baker 

Subject: Bioreactor Selenium Data 

Ron, we have the lab data report and are in the process of checking with the lab to see if there was a transcription 

error. We will also check with the plant to see if there were any "upsets" with the FGD waste water treatment 

system. Our initial thought, based on the following results, is that there was a transcription error: 

Bioreactor first stage selenium- 404 ug/L 

Second stage- 37.9 ug/L 

Final effluent-320 ug/l 

It doesn't make sense that the selenium level would increase ten-fold between the two bioreactor stages. Granted, 

there is a time-lag of several hours between the two stages, but we don't believe the results are correct. 

Will let you know as soon as we can, but our lab data manager is out until tomorrow. 

Tim 

Tim Lohner, Ph.D. Consulting Environmental Specialist 

American Electric Power, 1 Riverside Plaza, Columbus, OH 43215 

614-716-1255 twlohner@aep.com 

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