Improving soil investigations at brownfield sites using a flexible work strategy and screening methods inspired by the US Environmental Protection Agency's triad approach.
Investigations of polluted brownfield sites and sample analyses are expensive, and the resulting data are often of poor quality. Efforts are needed, therefore, to improve the methods used in investigations of brownfield sites to both reduce costs and improve the quality of the results. One approach that could be useful for both of these purposes is the triad strategy, developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, in which managing uncertainty is a central feature. In the investigations reported here, a field study was conducted to identify possible ways in which uncertainties could be managed in practice. One example considered involves optimizing the uncertainty by adjusting the sizes of samples and the efforts expended in analytical work according to the specific aims of the project. In addition, the potential utility of several toxicity assessment methods for screening sites was evaluated. As well as presenting the results of these assessments, in this contribution we discuss ways in which a flexible work strategy and screening methods inspired of the triad philosophy could be incorporated into the Swedish approach to remediate brownfield sites. A tiered approach taking advantage of field and screening methods is proposed to assess brownfield sites focusing on the response and acceptable uncertainty that are required for the task.
Maurice
Christian
C
Ramböll, Luleå, Sweden. christian.maurice@ramboll.se
Gustavsson
Björn
B
Ragnvaldsson
Daniel
D
Rydvall
Björn
B
Berglind
Rune
R
Haglund
Peter
P
Johnson
Torbjörn
T
Leffler
Per
P
Luthbom
Karin
K
von Heijne
Patrik
P
D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013548:Sweden; D035501:Uncertainty; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
D008670:Metals; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010575:Pesticides; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical