- January 7, 2019
- www.astm.org
New ASTM International Standard Will Help in Environmental Testing of Sediment
A new ASTM International standard will help environmental assessment
professionals perform more effective studies on sediment, the matrix of
water and particles that settle at the bottom of bodies of water. “The
new standard is organized as a toolkit applicable to a broad range of
sediment sites, from the large mega sites to smaller sites located in
ecologically sensitive areas,” says ASTM International member Eileen
Snyder who works at Alpha Analytical Inc. She adds that the standard
explains how the analytical methods used for sediment corrective action
are very different from conventional methods used for other soils.
Specifically, the standard (E3163)
covers: physical properties testing, chemical analytical methods,
passive sampling procedures, bioassays and toxicity testing,
environmental forensics methods and procedures, and methods development
procedures.
According to Snyder, users
of the new standard could include regulatory agencies, project
sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, and risk assessors.
ASTM International’s committee on environmental assessment, risk
management, and corrective action (E50) created the standard.
Snyder
adds that the committee would like to engage those who use the standard
to understand how it will be used and how it might be revised going
forward.
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