Environmental Investigation Methodology For Contaminated Sites

The contamination of soil and groundwater resulting from exploration, transportation, storage and handling of petrochemicals has become widespread and has produced an overwhelming number of contaminated sites in every country of the world that require investigation and remediation. This book presents step-by-step investigation methodology from initial site assessment to closure in an integrated and understandable format. The book explains effortlessly about regulatory requirements, phased approach for site assessments, site investigation methodology, soil and groundwater sampling techniques and also about documenting the investigation results through technical report writing. The emphasis is laid upon investigation methodology in the field, which is the key factor in quality assurance of the investigational work. Environmental site investigation, site characterizations, remediation planning, and report writing are all covered in detail. The book is of great value for environmental consultants, regulatory agency personnel, environmental engineers and geologists, and environmental attorneys. In addition, this is advisable to all field professionals to have an all time access to this book as a guide to quality work during the contaminated site investigation.

This document has been developed to provide a common federal approach to managing contaminated sites under federal custody. The intended audience for this approach is managers & operational personnel who are responsible for managing contaminated sites on federal lands. The approach incorporates risk-based environmental management which assesses risks to human health & the natural environment under current & intended-use scenarios and implements risk management solutions considered to be protective of those risks. Objectives, methodologies, and intended outputs are described for ten steps of the approach, from identification of suspect sites through detailed testing to final reporting & long-term monitoring. Appendices include a list of guidance documents and generic statements of work for various steps of the approach.

This guide addresses the topics of investigation, assessment and remediation of contamination in the context of current thinking on how best to deal with the issues surrounding contaminated land, both in terms of redevelopment and from considerations of human health and environmental impacts.

Environmental Consultancy Recognition of contaminated land as a potential environment risk problem has come relatively late. However, in the 1990s there is an international agreement that dealing with such problems benefits from a risk management approach. This book provides a unique, practical guide to the effective conduct of risk assessments for contaminated sites. The risk-based approach requires recognition of site investigation as a component of (not merely an adjunct to) risk assessment and a systematic gathering of quality data relevant to making judgements about risks. This is an integrated and multidisciplinary subject. The book provides an understanding of the regulatory and social context in which contaminated land risks are managed; the interdisciplinary requirements, as well as the methodologies and their limitations for investigation and assessment. The opening chapters provide risk assessment and management background, stressing pragmatic approaches to the former. The central chapters address the means of optimising the gathering of systematic information relevant to the source-pathway-target chain of concern, including the value of multi-stage investigations. The final chapters discuss the assessment of information and data, considering qualitative, semi-quantified and quantified risk assessment approaches and the use of the findings in decision making. The book has been written to complement developing guidance and requirements in the United Kingdom, but with international comparisons. The issues which underpin effective contaminated land risk assessment are universal. The book is presented so as to be understood by readers from a variety of disciplines and with different responsibilities. It will also be of value to final year undergraduates and postgraduates in civil engineering, environmental science, environmental technology, environmental chemistry and geography. It will be of relevance to environmental and engineering consultants, companies and organisations owning or purchasing potentially contaminated land and to officers in the regulatory authorities.

An environmental audit on an industrial premise employing a due diligence approach was conducted which includes interview, site historical review, soil and groundwater sampling and analysis. The due diligence audit was conducted to ensure that the premise is free from any environmental and regulatory noncompliance, since there is a potential property transaction. Based on the initial investigation comprehending onsite and offsite interviews of workers from neighbouring sites and local authorities, findings indicate that the site is free from any contaminant. Soil and groundwater samplings using borehole soil investigation method and further analysis using Inductive Couple Plasma (ICP) spectrometer for determining heavy metals, showed lead in paint at one location at a value of 870 ppm used in the building. Barium and lead was also detected in soil. Barium was 1020 and 576 ppm at two locations and lead was 914 and 880 ppm soil analysis. Chromium and barium was also detected in groundwater. Chromium was 56 and 63 ppm and barium was 1420 and 3780 ppm for groundwater. The levels of the identified contaminants were compared with the Dutch Intervention (DIV 2000) Standards because Malaysia does not have any heavy metal standards for soil and groundwater contamination on any industrial premise. A risk assessment was made to determine the extent of the potential harm that could arise from the contaminants and the impacts on the occupants on site, the neighbouring sites and the ecosystem. Based on the audit protocol for the investigation of a contaminated site developed in this study indicated that the risk assessment for the site is safe to be used.

This book outlines the strategies used in the investigation, characterization, management, and restoration and remediation for various contaminated sites. It draws on real-world examples from across the globe to illustrate remediation techniques and discusses their applicability. It provides guidance for the successful corrective action assessment and response programs for any type of contaminated land problem, and at any location. The systematic protocols presented will aid environmental professionals in managing contaminated land and associated problems more efficiently. This new edition adds twelve new chapters, and is fully updated and expanded throughout.

Land contamination is of global concern with many of the world’s industries potentially harming the environment and human health. Along with rapidly changing policy and technological developments, this is an interdisciplinary area in which successful contaminated land management depends on the expertise of and interaction between a number of scientific and engineering disciplines. Reclamation of Contaminated Land takes into account the different groups involved in contaminated land management and offers a flexible learning approach based on practical experience and research. It presents an overview of the general skills and knowledge required, encompassing both general management and regulatory practice and specific land contamination issues. Divided into two parts, Part I discusses site characterisation and the design of site investigations, and the central role of conceptual models and risk assessment in decision making. Part II discusses how risks from contaminated land are managed and the role of different remediation approaches to achieving this. This book is of great value for 2nd/3rd/4th year undergraduates and MSc students in Environmental Science, Environmental Technology, Environmental Management, Geography, Geology, Estate and Land Management. It is also key reading for undergraduates and MSc students in Chemical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering and Environmental Chemistry, as well as professional planners and developers, and local authorities.

Contaminated land and the methods and legal controls governing its reclamation for subsequent development and use are of great current interest and concern. This volume covers aspects of this subject, ranging from the origins and extent of contaminated land problems, including effects on human health, through investigative measures, to specific techniques of remediation. It is written in the context of the new UK contaminated land regime and includes human and ecological risk assessment methodology, and the legal liabilities and insurance aspects of contaminated land. This authoritative review will be welcomed by those involved in the areas of land use planning and development, consultants and engineers in contaminated site investigation and remediation, and environmental regulators. Students of land management and environmental science will also find it essential reading.