XRF Testing for Lead in Soil

Gray Environmental, Inc.

Back | Home

FIELD TESTING FOR LEAD, ARSENIC AND OTHER HEAVY METALS IN SOIL WITH XRF

TOPICS

The Advantages of Field Screening with XRF

Quality Assurance Methods

Services Available in Other States

Gray Environmental, Inc. offers non-destructive, field-based measurement of metals in soil utilizing a Thermo Fisher Scientific NITON x-ray fluorescence instrument (XRF).

APPLICATIONS WHERE WE HAVE UTILIZED XRF FOR SOIL:

Brownfields Harbors Industrial Properties

Military Bases Shooting Ranges Agricultural Properties

Highway Expansion Residential Landfill Cleanup

Schools Battery Plants Metal-working Facilities

Former oil well property

The XRF is capable of reliably guiding the excavation for cleanup of lead concentrations as low as 30 mg/kg (ppm) and arsenic as low as 12 mg/kg.

ACCURACY: Accuracy is increased as the homogeneity of the sample is increased and homogeneity is improved by additional field preparation.

COMPARING XRF TO LAB ANALYSIS: Our experience has shown that samples that have been dried, then field-prepped though a standard 2.00 mm, # 10 mesh sieve followed by a standard # 25 mesh sieve should have an XRF test result that is within +/- 15% of the laboratory analysis of the SAME sample.

THE ADVANTAGES OF FIELD SCREENING WITH XRF:

Reduce Disposal and Treatment Costs. Limit the volume of soil that will require disposal and treatment by only excavating where contamination exists.

Eliminate Failed Clearances. Collect, prepare and analyze clearance samples on-site. Because the XRF testing is non-destructive, you can send the same samples to the lab for confirmation after clearance criteria are met.

Guide the Investigation. Due to the “real time” result capability of the XRF, sampling plans can be modified in the field as the excavation proceeds. Find out today where you need to do your "step-outs" - not days later.

Cost Effective. The per-sample analytical costs are comparable to the standard laboratory method with a two-week turn-around time, yet the XRF results are available within minutes. With XRF Field Screening, field operation delays are reduced and continuous excavation can be conducted without incurring additional mobilization/demobilization costs. The XRF allows you to eliminate the unnecessary sampling that can occur with pre-determined sampling plans. And, site security and dust suppression costs are also minimized due to quicker completion of the corrective action activities.

Fast. The XRF analysis of a soil sample can be completed in approximately 2 to 10 minutes after the sample is prepared. The length of time for the sample analysis is dependent upon the desired accuracy and the "cleanup level", i.e., lower cleanup levels require longer analysis time.

Return to the Top

QUALITY ASSURANCE METHODS

The Field Screening methods utilized provide basic quality assurance, including calibration verification, determination of instrument precision, accuracy and limit of detection. Quality assurance methods can be divided into three main areas:

1. ENSURING THAT CLEARANCE CRITERIA OBJECTIVES ARE CLEAR

Understanding our Clients' Clearance Levels. Duration of sampling times are increased or decreased in direct proportion to clearance criteria. (e.g., the lower the lead or metal "clean-up" concentration the longer the sample duration will need to be to achieve desired accuracy.)

2. CALIBRATION CHECKS TO ENSURE CORRECT INSTRUMENT OPERATION

Quality assurance constitutes testing of known Standards to verify that calibration is within acceptable parameters as well as testing blank Standards to determine limits of detection.

3. SAMPLE PREPARATION PROTOCOL

Moisture and soil particle size effects are minimized by a sample preparation protocol that includes:

Drying the sample.

Exclusion of particles larger than 2.00 mm.

Using low-bias methods for sample splitting.

Return to the Top

"HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL"

(i.e., Mobilization to Other States)

Gray Environmental, Inc. has the capability to

perform XRF soil testing in other states.

Advance Project Notice Required

Call or email us for details (see below for email address)

Gray Environmental, Inc. Back \| Home
FIELD TESTING FOR LEAD, ARSENIC AND OTHER HEAVY METALS IN SOIL WITH XRF
TOPICS The Advantages of Field Screening with XRF Quality Assurance Methods Services Available in Other States	Gray Environmental, Inc. offers non-destructive, field-based measurement of metals in soil utilizing a Thermo Fisher Scientific NITON x-ray fluorescence instrument (XRF).
	APPLICATIONS WHERE WE HAVE UTILIZED XRF FOR SOIL:
	Brownfields	Harbors	Industrial Properties
	Military Bases	Shooting Ranges	Agricultural Properties
	Highway Expansion	Residential	Landfill Cleanup
	Schools	Battery Plants	Metal-working Facilities
	Former oil well property
	The XRF is capable of reliably guiding the excavation for cleanup of lead concentrations as low as 30 mg/kg (ppm) and arsenic as low as 12 mg/kg.
	ACCURACY: Accuracy is increased as the homogeneity of the sample is increased and homogeneity is improved by additional field preparation.
	COMPARING XRF TO LAB ANALYSIS: Our experience has shown that samples that have been dried, then field-prepped though a standard 2.00 mm, # 10 mesh sieve followed by a standard # 25 mesh sieve should have an XRF test result that is within +/- 15% of the laboratory analysis of the SAME sample.
	THE ADVANTAGES OF FIELD SCREENING WITH XRF: Reduce Disposal and Treatment Costs. Limit the volume of soil that will require disposal and treatment by only excavating where contamination exists. Eliminate Failed Clearances. Collect, prepare and analyze clearance samples on-site. Because the XRF testing is non-destructive, you can send the same samples to the lab for confirmation after clearance criteria are met. Guide the Investigation. Due to the “real time” result capability of the XRF, sampling plans can be modified in the field as the excavation proceeds. Find out today where you need to do your "step-outs" - not days later. Cost Effective. The per-sample analytical costs are comparable to the standard laboratory method with a two-week turn-around time, yet the XRF results are available within minutes. With XRF Field Screening, field operation delays are reduced and continuous excavation can be conducted without incurring additional mobilization/demobilization costs. The XRF allows you to eliminate the unnecessary sampling that can occur with pre-determined sampling plans. And, site security and dust suppression costs are also minimized due to quicker completion of the corrective action activities. Fast. The XRF analysis of a soil sample can be completed in approximately 2 to 10 minutes after the sample is prepared. The length of time for the sample analysis is dependent upon the desired accuracy and the "cleanup level", i.e., lower cleanup levels require longer analysis time. Return to the Top
	QUALITY ASSURANCE METHODS The Field Screening methods utilized provide basic quality assurance, including calibration verification, determination of instrument precision, accuracy and limit of detection. Quality assurance methods can be divided into three main areas: 1. ENSURING THAT CLEARANCE CRITERIA OBJECTIVES ARE CLEAR Understanding our Clients' Clearance Levels. Duration of sampling times are increased or decreased in direct proportion to clearance criteria. (e.g., the lower the lead or metal "clean-up" concentration the longer the sample duration will need to be to achieve desired accuracy.) 2. CALIBRATION CHECKS TO ENSURE CORRECT INSTRUMENT OPERATION Quality assurance constitutes testing of known Standards to verify that calibration is within acceptable parameters as well as testing blank Standards to determine limits of detection. 3. SAMPLE PREPARATION PROTOCOL Moisture and soil particle size effects are minimized by a sample preparation protocol that includes: Drying the sample. Exclusion of particles larger than 2.00 mm. Using low-bias methods for sample splitting. Return to the Top
	"HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL" (i.e., Mobilization to Other States) Gray Environmental, Inc. has the capability to perform XRF soil testing in other states. Advance Project Notice Required Call or email us for details (see below for email address)