Article Contaminated Land Laboratories

NEW BS ISO SOIL STANDARDS

- by

BS ISO 10381-2:2002

SOIL QUALITY – SAMPLING – Part 2

GUIDANCE ON SAMPLING TECHNIQUES

This standard, which is compatible with and complements BS 10175 Investigation of potentially Contaminated Site – Code of Practice, gives guidance on techniques for taking and storing samples so that these can subsequently be examined for the purpose of providing information on soil quality. It gives information on typical equipment that is applicable in particular sampling situations to enable correct sampling procedures to be > carried out and representative samples to be collected.

It is one of a series of International Standards dealing with sampling that have been, or will be issued as British Standards. The others are:-

ISO 10381-1 Guidance on the design of sampling programmes. (Being processed as BS).

ISO BS 10381-3 Guidance on safety – (Published as BS)

ISO FDIS 10381-4 Guidance on the procedure for the investigation of natural, near natural and cultivated sites. (In the final stages of approval as International Standard – will be implemented as BS)

ISO DIS 10381-5 Guidance on investigation of soil contamination of urban and industrial sites – in the process of being developed by ISO TC190 – the draft document will be circulated for further comment in 2003.

ISO 10381-6, BS 7755-2.6:1994 Guidance on the collection, handling and storage of soil for the assessment of aerobic microbial processes in soil.

ISO CD 10381-7 Guidance on the investigation and sampling of soil gas. (In the process of being developed by ISO TC190 – the draft document will be circulated for further comment in 2003).

ISO CD 10381-8 Guidance on the sampling of stockpiles. (In the process of being developed by ISO TC190 – the draft document will be circulated for further comment in 2003).

——————————————————-

BS ISO 15176:2002 Soil quality – characterization of excavated soil and other soil materials intended for re-use

This International Standard is one of a series providing guidance on the assessment of soils and soil materials in relation to certain functions and uses (others will relate, for example, to human health assessment and protection of groundwater). It provides guidance on the range of tests that may be necessary to characterise soil materials intended to be excavated and re-used with, or without, preliminary treatment. Soil materials include excavated soil, dredged materials, fill materials, manufactured soils and soil treated to remove or destroy contaminants. Assessment of soil material for re-use may require the measurement of the chemical, physical, biological, geotechnical and radiochemical characteristics of soil material and of the source and target sites. Treatment of soils and soil materials to remove or destroy contaminants or to reduce their availability to the environment may alter soil properties. These properties should therefore be determined before re-use. For manufactured soils, the characteristics of both the components and of the manufactured product may need to be determined.

The standard takes into account the different requirements of top-soil, sub-soil and other soil materials such as sediments or treated soils. International Standard analytical and other test methods (e.g. biological) that may be applicable are listed where available. The test methods are intended to cover a range of possible end uses including: – play areas for small children including nursery schools, kindergartens etc. – schools – gardens and other residential areas – allotments – horticulture – agriculture – forestry – recreational areas e.g. parks, sport fields – restoration of damaged ecosystems – Construction sites.

It is intended to be of use: – in determining the suitability of soil materials for re-use , and the – assessment of the environmental impacts that might arise from re-use.

The Standard does not cover the placement of soil materials in the water environment or to restore underground workings. It does not deal with geotechnical requirements when soil materials are to be used as construction material.

——————————————————-

BS ISO 15009:2002: Soil quality – Gas chromatographic determination of the content of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene and volatile halogenated hydrocarbons – Purge-and-trap method with thermal desorption

This new British/International Standard has just been published.

The method uses methanol as an extractant of the as-received field-moist sample. Those carrying out site investigations should note that:

· Exposure of samples to air, even during sampling, should be avoided as far as possible. Avoid the use of plastics, other than PTFE for handling and storage.

Samples should be analysed as soon as possible. Samples should be kept in the dark at 3C +/- 2C no longer than 4 days.

Information supplied by Michael A. Smith www.michael.a.smith.btinternet.co.uk

British Standards are available from BSI Customer Services
Tel: 0208-8996-9001, Fax 020-8996-7001, e-mail: orders@bsi-global.com, and www.bsi-global.com