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FUGRO WEST, INC. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES RE: EXCAVATION SAMPLING (SOIL AND WATER) SOP-2b Soil Excavation and subsequent soil sampling is performed under the direction of a registered geologist or civil engineer To reduce the potential for cross-contamination, all excavation equipment is either steam-cleaned or washed prior to use and between excavations Soil samples are typically collected directly from the excavation surface or from material removed from the excavation in a backhoe or excavator bucket A portion of the sampled area or material may be sealed in a plastic bag, jar, or other suitable container for volatile organic screening with either a portable photoionization detector, flame ionization detector, or an explosimeter Another portion of the sample may be used to describe the excavated material Soil samples for chemical analysis are collected in cleaned, thin-walled brass tubes of varying diameters and lengths (typically 6 inches long by 2 inches outside-diameter) or other appropriate cleaned sample container A hand-driven sampler holding an inset sample container may be used To reduce the potential for cross-contamination between samples, the sampler is cleaned between each sampling event Upon recovery, the sample container is sealed to minimize the potential of volatilization and cross-contaminatton prior to chemical analysis Brass soil sampling tubes are typically closed at each end with plastic caps over Teflon or aluminum foil sheeting The caps may be sealed with duct tape or similar material lacking inappropriate chemical compounds The sealed sample is labeled and refrigerated for delivery, under strict chain-of-custody, to the analytical laboratory Water Excavation water samples are not advised, because soil particles typically present may affect the sample However, if required, water samples are collected either directly from the water surface, if accessible, by dipping the sampling container, or from a clean bailer or similar sampling device lowered into the excavation Water samples may be collected from the excavating equipment bucket, if necessary Depending on the intended analyses, 0 5 to 1-liter plastic or glass containers, or 40-milliliter glass, volatile organic analysis (VOA) vials, with "Teflon" septa, are typically used as sample containers For volatile organic analyses, the water sample is decanted into each VOA vial in such a manner that there is no meniscus at the top of the vial A cap is quickly secured to the top of the vial The vial is inverted and gently tapped to see if air bubbles are present If none are present, the vial is labeled and refrigerated for delivery, under strict chatn-of-custody, to the analytical laboratory Label information typically includes a unique sample identification number, job identification number, sampler identification, date, and time Fugro West Inc SOP-2b/October 1994