Document: NRC Regulatory Guide
Document ID: 688895c2-d1d9-44f3-9c79-3cf0daa88510
Document Type: regulatory_guide
Title: 
Source: NRC Regulatory Guide Division 4
Source URL: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0037/ML003739541.pdf
Revision Date: 2023-06
Chapter: 
Section ID: RG-4.5
CFR Part: 
CFR Title: 

Content:
d for Regulatory purposes) The method developed specifically for the Nevada Test Site under the auspices of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group should be applicable to other similar soils. The "ring" and "trench" methods have been used by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group for soil sampling on or around the Nevada Test Site. Either method can be used to obtain surface samples (defined as the upper 5 cm of soil) or profile samples. A. Ring Method In the ring method, a ring (12.7 cm ID x 2.5cm deep) is, pressed into the soil. Soil inside the ring is removed with a disposable plastic spoon to a depth of 2.5 cm and is bagged. Soil is next removed from outside the ring to the 2.5 cm depth, the ring is pressed into the soil another 2.5 cm, and another sample is taken with a second spoon. In this manner, profile samples can be taken to a desired depth; at lower depths where radionuclide concentrations may be low, it may be desirable to increase increments to multiples of 2.5 cm. A spmple consists of soil taken from a minimum depth of 5 cm. A minimum of five separate samples should be taken along a straight line transect and composited for analysis. Since it may be desirable to resample the site at a later time, the coordinate distances of the transect should be measured to fixed landmarks to identify the relative position of the transect. 4.5-4 i. TreM* MlltsU A rectangular trench of apr'opiate size is dug IS to 25 cm deeper than the desired samplin depth. Samples are taken from a trench wall with a three-sided tray. 10 cm wide by 10 cm long by 2.5 cm deep. The procedure for taking a sampl is as follows: The tray is pushed in from the side of the trench with the top edges of the tray flush with the surface of the ground. After the tray is pushed into position, press ,down with a trowel or a thin, flat piece of metal approximately 15 cm wide above the open.sdded front end of the tray. With the metal or trowel In place, the soil outside the tray is scraped off down to the depth