A proposed new practice being developed by ASTM Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and Vadose Zone Investigations will cover techniques for actively collecting soil gas samples from the vadose zone beneath buildings. WK18835, Practice for Active Soil Gas Sampling in the Vadose Zone for Vapor Intrusion Evaluations, is under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee D18 on Soil and Rock.
Dr. Lorne G. Everett, chief scientist and senior vice president, Haley & Aldrich, and the charter chairman of ASTM D18.21.02, says that the proposed practice will provide a greater level of applied detail than exists in current guides. "WK18835 specifically looks at active soil gas sampling techniques that are directly applicable to the vapor intrusion evaluation methodology," says Everett.
According to Everett, Subcommittee D18.21.02 on Vadose Zone Monitoring has completed a series of over 10 ASTM standard guides that cover a large number of technologies such as pore-liquid sampling, soil sampling, water content measurements, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, matrix potential determination, horizontal application of neutron probes, etc. currently used in vadose zone work. As each of the guides is approved, corresponding practices and test methods are being developed. WK18835 is one such proposed standard, having been developed to correspond with D5314, Guide for Soil Gas Monitoring in the Vadose Zone, also prepared by Everett. Use of the proposed standard will ensure that soil gas sampling is being done correctly to identify potential VI vapor intrusion hazards that are addressed in the widely used new ASTM standard E2600, Practice for Assessment of Vapor Intrusion into Structures on Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions.
Everett says that WK18835 will be used by all branches of government, as well as by industry and consulting firms throughout the world. Participation in the activities of ASTM Subcommittee D18.21.02, particularly from field practitioners, manufacturers and soil gas analysis laboratories, is encouraged. In addition to work on WK18835, the subcommittee plans on developing other standards associated with passive soil gas sampling technologies.
For technical Information, contact Dr. Lorne Everett, Haley & Aldrich, Santa Barbara, Calif. (phone: 805-563-8007; leverett@haleyaldrich.com). Committee D18 meets June 22-25 during the June committee week in Denver, Colo. For meeting or membership information, contact Robert Morgan (phone: 610-832-9732; rmorgan@astm.org).
Release #7987