Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:2:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 1/5)
Character Range: 704202–707466

2                   Laboratory analysis of potentially contaminated soil
This Schedule provides guidance on analysis of physicochemical properties of soil, including inorganic and organic analytes commonly found in contaminated soils, and on procedures for sample preparation and for quality assurance.

Where possible, the Schedule adopts established 'standard methods' from recognised sources such as Standards Australia, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the American Public Health Association (APHA), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the International Standards Organisation (ISO). When analysis is required for contaminants not included in this guideline, analysts should seek comparable established standard methods. Laboratories should ensure any such methods are validated prior to use.

2.1              Scope
Types of soil analyses for assessment of contaminated sites can fall into three broad categories:
    * field measurements that can be performed on-site when collecting samples
    * laboratory-based screening tests to determine type of contamination present
    * quantitative methods specific to known or expected soil contaminants.
This guideline provides detailed guidance for the third category only. The principal objective is to foster greater standardisation of the test methods most likely to be used in the final assessment of a site. General guidance on the first two categories listed above is available in Section 2.5.

Whenever possible, accreditation to ISO 17025 should be obtained for all analytical procedures and matrices for the analytes of concern, from the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) or one of its mutual recognition agreement partners.

2.2              Determinative methods
This guideline specifies procedures for extraction and digestion of common contaminants. The inclusion of determinative procedures for identification and quantification of contaminant concentrations in sample extracts and digests for every analyte is outside the scope.

Descriptions of determinative methods are available for analytes in a range of reference documents including Standards Australia and International standards (US EPA SW-846, APHA 2005, ASTM 2008). In selecting an appropriate method for a particular analyte, the analyst needs to consider the chemical characteristics of the final extract and analyte, and the specificity of the detector.

2.3              Philosophy of methods selected
Soil samples from contaminated sites may be submitted for analysis for various reasons, including to assess:
    * potential risks to human and environmental health
    * legal/financial risks to individuals and organisations.
These circumstances require highly reliable analyses, with analytical data representative of site condition.

In addition, large numbers of samples from a site may be required to be analysed within a short time; the sooner results are available, the sooner decisions can be made about the need for site remediation or protection of the public and environment from further contamination.

To meet these competing demands for speed and reliability, the extraction/digestion and analytical methods should:
    1. be simple—procedures should