Site Characterization : Sampling and Analysis

by HMTRI

• ISBN13: 9780471292708
• ISBN10: 0471292702
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-10-31
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

Site Characterization Sampling and Analysis HMTRI Site Characterization: Sampling and Analysis is an introductory environmental sampling textbook intended for use in community/technical college environmental technology curricula or in industrial training programs. Comprehension of the subject matter is enhanced by associated coursework in chemistry, biology, environmental regulations, and college-level mathematics. The goal of the present textbook is to provide the environmental technician with the knowledge and skills necessary to assist a site characterization project planner in the sampling and monitoring process. Among the tasks the students will learn how to perform are: assisting the research of a site's background for data that a project manager will use in the development of a site sampling plan meeting representative sampling objectives and quality control/quality assurance objectives preparing to go onsite for a sampling event monitoring a site for potentially hazardous atmospheres following the sampling plan in collecting samples from various media (e.g., soil, surface water, ground water, and containers) troubleshooting under unforeseen circumstances preparing samples for transport to the laboratory documenting field activities communicating with laboratory personnel interpreting lab reports, including the validation of quality control data The text contains photographs and line drawings to help students visualize equipment and processes. Included are instructional aids such as chapter objectives, concept statements before major sections, review questions (as well as application and critical thinking activities) after each section, and a glossary of the terminology.

Author Biography

About the Author The Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute (HMTRI) is a non-profit organization established in 1987 by two Iowa community colleges who have long been active in environmental health and safety education and training. The colleges are Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, and the Eastern Iowa Community College District headquartered in Davenport. HMTRI is recognized as one of a select number of national centers of excellence in the environmental field by several federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the State of Iowa.

Table of Contents

To the Student	xi
Chapter 1--Site Investigation	1	(24)
1-1 The Purpose of Site Characterization	3	(5)
Four Stages of Site Characterization	6	(2)
1-2 Background and Historical Research	8	(8)
Historical Research/Data Gathering	8	(6)
Phase I Environmental Site Assessments for Property Transfer	14	(2)
1-3 Field Investigation Teams and Duties	16	(6)
The Site Health and Safety Program	16	(1)
Organization of the Field Team	17	(3)
The Technician's Role in Avoiding Liability	20	(2)
Summary	22	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	23	(2)
Chapter 2--The Sampling Plan	25	(20)
2-1 The Written Sampling Plan	26	(5)
Purpose of the Written Sampling Plan	26	(3)
Sampling Plan Elements	29	(2)
2-2 Types of Samples	31	(3)
Biased versus Unbiased Sampling	31	(1)
Grab versus Composite Samples	31	(1)
Media versus Waste Samples	32	(1)
Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Samples	33	(1)
Sample Collection Order	33	(1)
Sample Labeling Designations	33	(1)
2-3 The Statistical Approach to Obtaining Representative Samples	34	(5)
2-4 Quality Control and Quality Assurance	39	(3)
Duplicate Samples and Blank Samples	40	(1)
Matrix Spikes	41	(1)
Background Samples	42	(1)
Critical Data Point Samples	42	(1)
Summary	42	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	43	(2)
Chapter 3--Equipment and Sample Preparation	45	(22)
3-1 Preparing to Go Onsite	46	(3)
3-2 Selecting Sampling Equipment	49	(11)
Preview of Air Sampling	49	(1)
Preview of Soil and Sediment Sampling	50	(2)
Preview of Groundwater Sampling	52	(1)
Preview of Sampling Surface Waters	53	(2)
Preview of Container Sampling: Drums, Tanks and Bags	55	(2)
Sampling Other Media	57	(1)
Problems Associated with Obtaining Representative Samples	58	(2)
3-3 Preparing Samples for the Laboratory	60	(5)
Selection of Containers	60	(1)
Sample Holding Time, Preservation and Storage	61	(1)
Shipping Requirements	62	(1)
Documentation	63	(2)
Summary	65	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	65	(2)
Chapter 4--Sampling Air Quality	67	(28)
4-1 Introduction	68	(4)
Regulatory Authority for Air Sampling and Monitoring	68	(2)
Following the Sampling Plan	70	(1)
Substances Sampled and Monitored	71	(1)
4-2 Air Monitoring	72	(15)
Oxygen Monitoring	72	(3)
Combustible Gas/Vapor Monitoring	75	(3)
Toxic Gas and Vapor Monitoring	78	(4)
Radiation Monitoring	82	(1)
Gas Chromatography (GC)	83	(1)
Aerosol Monitoring	83	(1)
Characteristics of Air Monitoring Instruments	83	(4)
4-3 Air Sampling	87	(5)
Purposes for Sampling: Personal and Area Assessment	87	(1)
Principle of Operation	88	(1)
Collection Media and Containers	88	(2)
Sampling Pumps	90	(1)
Sampling and Monitoring Equipment Maintenance	90	(1)
Safety Procedures	91	(1)
Summary	92	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	93	(2)
Chapter 5--Sampling Soils and Sediments	95	(32)
5-1 Introduction	96	(6)
Regulatory Authority for the Sampling of Soil, Sediment and Other Geologic Material	97	(1)
Defining Soil and Sediment	97	(4)
Subsurface Geology: Bedrock	101	(1)
5-2 Describing Soils and Sediments	102	(7)
Describing Soil by ASTM's USCS Visual-Manual Method	103	(3)
Identifying and Describing the Fine-grained Components of Soil	106	(1)
Identifying and Describing the Coarse-grained Components of Soil	106	(1)
Identifying Soil Type with the USDA SCS Ternary Diagram	107	(1)
5-3 Sampling Soils, Sediments and Other Geologic Materials	109	(16)
Logistical Arrangements	109	(2)
Specific Soil Sampling Equipment and Procedures	111	(8)
Field Screening of Soils and Sediments	119	(1)
Equipment Decontamination and Cleaning	120	(2)
Selection of Containers, Preservatives and Holding Times for Geologic Materials	122	(2)
Safety Precautions Recommended in Sampling Geologic Materials	124	(1)
Summary	125	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	125	(2)
Chapter 6--Sampling Water	127	(38)
6-1 Purposes of Water Sampling	128	(3)
Regulatory Framework	129	(2)
6-2 The Hydrologic Cycle, Aquifers and Wells	131	(5)
The Hydrologic Cycle	131	(2)
Aquifers and Confining Units	133	(1)
Anatomy of a Typical Monitoring Well	133	(2)
Types of Wells	135	(1)
6-3 Sampling Groundwater	136	(13)
Opening the Well	136	(1)
Measuring Water Level	136	(2)
Development of a Monitoring Well	138	(2)
Purging a Monitoring Well Before Sampling	140	(3)
Purging and Sampling Devices: Bailers and Pumps	143	(5)
Physical Tests on Wells and Aquifers	148	(1)
6-4 Sampling Surface Waters	149	(4)
Sampling Devices	149	(4)
6-5 Sampling Drinking Water and Wastewater	153	(3)
Sampling Drinking Water	153	(1)
Sampling Wastewater	153	(3)
6-6 Storing Water Samples	156	(6)
Storing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)	157	(1)
Storing Extractable Organics	158	(1)
Storing Metals	158	(1)
Storing Other Water Samples	159	(1)
Decontamination	160	(2)
6-7 Safety Precautions Recommended in Sampling Water	162	(1)
Summary	163	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	163	(2)
Chapter 7--Sampling Drums and Containers	165	(28)
7-1 Introduction	167	(1)
7-2 Procedures for Sampling Drums	168	(7)
Staging Drums for Sampling	169	(1)
Opening Drums for Sampling	170	(3)
Sampling Drums	173	(1)
Equipment	173	(2)
7-3 Procedures for Sampling Tanks	175	(7)
Preparing to Sample a Tank	175	(2)
Sampling the Tank	177	(1)
Tank Sampling Equipment	178	(4)
7-4 Procedures for Sampling Waste Piles	182	(3)
Representative Sampling of a Pile	183	(2)
7-5 DOT and EPA Container and Drum Specifications	185	(3)
General Container and Drum Specifications	185	(3)
7-6 OSHA's Container and Drum Handling Standards	188	(3)
29 CFR 1910.120(j) Handling Drums and Containers	188	(3)
Summary	191	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	191	(2)
Chapter 8--Methods of Analysis	193	(26)
8-1 Analysis Options	194	(7)
Field Vversus Mobile Laboratory versus Fixed Laboratory Analysis	195	(3)
Five Levels of Data Quality	198	(1)
How to Choose an Environmental Laboratory	199	(2)
8-2 General Laboratory Procedures	201	(5)
Sample Preparation	202	(1)
Sample Analysis and Laboratory Quality Control	202	(1)
How Methods of Analysis are Determined	203	(3)
8-3 Laboratory Instrumentation	206	(8)
Laboratory Instruments	207	(7)
8-4 Methods for Determination of Hazardous Waste	214	(2)
Summary	216	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	217	(2)
Chapter 9--Data Validation and Interpretation	219	(26)
9-1 Introduction	220	(5)
The Role of the Sampling Technician in Achieving High-Quality Data	221	(1)
Defining Analytical Error	221	(1)
Defining Data Validation	222	(1)
Contents of the Laboratory Analysis Report	222	(3)
9-2 Laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control	225	(11)
Internal Audits	225	(1)
Accuracy and Precision of Analytical Procedures	226	(1)
Internal Laboratory Quality Control Samples	227	(5)
Detection Limits -- "No Such Thing as Zero"	232	(1)
Data Qualifiers	233	(3)
9-3 Validation and Interpretation of Analytical Results by Data Users	236	(7)
Step 1: Validate Data Quality	237	(2)
Step 2: Determine if Data Will Reduce Decision Uncertainties	239	(3)
Step 3: Compare and Interpret Data to Project Specifics	242	(1)
Summary	243	(1)
Application and Critical Thinking Activities	243	(2)
Appendix 1--Personnel Safety Plan Hazardous Waste Site	245	(6)
Appendix 2--Excerpt from a Sampling and Analysis Plan	251	(18)
Appendix 3--Table A: Tabulated Values of "t" for Evaluating Solid Wastes	269	(2)
Appendix 4 -- Table B: TCLP Regulatory Thresholds (RT) 40 CFR 261.24	271	(2)
Appendix 5--Sampling Plan-Table of Contents	273	(2)
Appendix 6--Sampling Usage Guides	275	(4)
Appendix 7--Data Interpretation	279	(2)
Glossary	281	(18)
Acknowledgments	299	(6)
Bibliography	305	(4)
Index	309