L Maxwell
Contaminated Land Officer
Development Directorate
The Killingworth Site
P.O.Box 113
Station Road
Killingworth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE12 6WJ
Tel. 0191 219 2488
Fax. 0191 219 2457
Unless stated, opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in
this message are personal, and not those of North Tyneside Council.
----- Forwarded by Lisa Maxwell/Regulatory Services/ERH/ntc on 13/11/2007
09:38 -----
Brian Graham
<[log in to unmask] To: Lisa Maxwell/Regulatory Services/ERH/ntc@ntc
o.uk> cc:
Subject: Re: Sink float tests
06/11/2007 17:56
Please respond to
bgraham
the float sink test is not one i am familiar with (I am a chemist) but
if it is coal fine will it not have a higher calorific value than the
iron silicate??
perhaps you can make up some soil sample in his presence 1 with coal one
with iron and then test against the garden sample??
I am not sure tat this will get you too far though, if there is not
enough differentiation between them - given the obvious experimental
error with such a scheme.
I would think that a chemical test would not be much use either due to
the high iron content of the soil, but what about some form of XRF/XRD
type testing which would show up the presence of chemical species in
varying quantities.
The experiment would need some planning to ensure representative samples
were taken/analysed
Basically the iron and the coal would have different patterns and sizes
of peaks. My only concern is if you undertook the test in an iron rich
soil you would get an overpowering background conc which would swamp any
iron signal.
I did get involved with a similar case a few years back but it involved
the lead paint falling off and contaminating gardens. Relatively simple
to spot that one.
Hope this helps
If you need more lab help let me know and I can put you in touch with
our sister company
Regards
Brian
Lisa Maxwell wrote:
>Hello all
>
>Quick background, we have a complainant who insists that refurbishment
work
>of a viaduct has led to pollution of the surrounding land (his words) and
>was insistent that the iron silicate shot used to remove paint is still on
>site in significant amounts. The site was cleaned during works adhering
to
>best practicable means and again at the completion of works, which as a
>result of the complainant included a scrape of surface material
>replacement of topsoil in some areas.
>
>2 years down the line from the original complaint the complainant is still
>insistent that there is an issue and despite numerous meeting on site with
>other parties involved has made very clear his complete "lack of faith in
>the council". A recent site visit with senior management and the
>complainant still has not resolved this.
>
>Now to the muppet question, having a site investigation (both labs and GI)
>and consultancy background before moving to local authority (plus the
>necessary post graduate degree) i am very confidant that the material the
>complainant is referring to is infact coal fines within the glacial till,
>however the complainant is unwilling to acknowledge the councils technical
>ability to reach this conclusion.
>
>Therefore I need a test that could prove that the material in question is
>in fact coal fines and not iron silicate. I was thinking along the lines
>of a float sink test so any confirmation of this or any alteratives would
>be greatly appreciated. (its been over 10 years since i last carried out
>this test so I'm a bit woolly as to what it entails).
>
>Yours in anticipation
>
>Lisa
>
>L Maxwell
>Contaminated Land Officer
>Development Directorate
>The Killingworth Site
>P.O.Box 113
>Station Road
>Killingworth
>Newcastle upon Tyne
>NE12 6WJ
>
>Tel. 0191 219 2488
>Fax. 0191 219 2457
>
>Unless stated, opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in
>this message are personal, and not those of North Tyneside Council.
>
>
>
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