ENGINEERING FEATURE

Preparation Of Soil Sampling Protocols: Sampling Techniques And Strategies

BenjaminJ. Mason Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies University of Nevada, Ias Vegas, NV 89 154
This document is designed to serve as a c o m p a n i o n to the Soil Sampling Quality Assurance User's Guide, Second Edition. In order to make it current with the state-of-the-art, the predecessor document, published in 1983, has been thoroughly reviewed and revised. T h e two documents together provide methods, techniques, and procedures for designing a variety of soil measurement programs and associated quality assurance project or program plans, implementing those programs, and then analyzing, interpreting, and presenting the resultant data. The natural soil characteristics that can influence the distribution of the contaminant of concern, and The nature of the media to be sampled (i.e., soil vs. non-soil materials, or a combination of the two distinctly different media). These general components provide the project planner with the necessary information required for the development of a proper soil sampling protocol. Once the basic characteristics of the site and problem have been clearly identified, the strategy and techniques to collect the samples must be developed. During this phase in the development of soil sampling protocols, the investigator should consider the following issues: full report, see reference at end - Editor.) The specific size, shape, orientation, and spatial arrangement of the samples to be collected constitute the "support." Risk and exposure assessment data can often be used to assist in defining an "action support" or can be used in the application of an action level over a particular support.

Particulate Sampling Theory -

T h e minimum a m o u n t of soil required to make up the "support" can be determined using the concepts developed in particulate sampling theory. Gy's theory (developed by Dr. Pierre Gy Introduction of the Paris School of Mines) is based During the initiation of any project in upon the relationship between the variwhich the conceptual model of the site ability of the material, particle sizes in The size of the area of contamination, indicates that soil is one of the key facthe material, distribution of the compotors, proper planning and selection of nent of interest, and size of the sample Particulate sampling theory to address the techniques and strategies for collecttaken. The variability found in particuproper sample and subsample collecing the samples is essential. Proper planlate material, such as soil, is based upon tion, ning in the early stages of a project can the number of individual particles in the Statistical aspects pertaining to soil sample. Therefore, the controlling factor ensure that the final data received will be sampling, in the collection of a soil sample is the of sufficient quality and adequately repsize of the largest particle. Thus, samples resent the site to allow for the correct Sampling designs and their approprithat have been screened prior to analysis decision to be made concerning the ate use, "faten of the site. In contrast, the lack of with the coarser fraction being discardProper sample collection procedures, p r o p e r planning often leads to data ed, can produce greatly biased results. being generated that do no sufficiently Other types of sampling of soil materi- Fortunately, most soils have particle-sized meet the initial project goals, even if l a b ranges in which the "typicalnsample size als, and oratory analyses are perfect. If this situacollected is adequate to address this conInterpretation of the final results. cern. In cases where a fine-textured soiltion occurs, the time and expense of When each of these issues is properly has an abundance of cobbles and gravels sampling and analysis are lost and resampling of the site may be necessary to considered and addressed, a solid basis or where wastes such as rubble, construcallow for a competent decision to be for the development of a soil sampling tion debris, or battery cases are present protocol will have been established. in the soil, the validity of the contamimade. nant concentration data may be quesDuring the preliminaly phase of planning a soil sampling project, several The Size or Area tionable if appropriate steps are not general characteristics of the site and/or of Contamination taken to account for the occurrence of problem must be considered. These these large "particles". T h e concept of a "support' as it Additionally, particulate sampling thecharacteristics include: applies to soil sampling and the determiory directly addresses the process of The type and distribution of the contnation of the size of the site (or subunits a m i n a n t ( o r o t h e r constituent of obtaining a correct sample by providing within a site) has been presented (in the interest), the basis for extracting the sample from
Bulldn Houston Geological Society,June 1994