BS 10176:2020 - Taking Soil Samples for Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Standard Number: BS 10176:2020

Pages: 56

Released: 2020-05-29

ISBN: 978 0 539 00893 7

Status: Standard

Overview

The BS 10176:2020 standard is an essential document for professionals involved in environmental science, geology, and related fields. It provides a comprehensive specification for the process of taking soil samples specifically for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This standard is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of soil sample analysis, which is vital for environmental assessments, contamination studies, and remediation projects.

Importance of VOCs Analysis

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a group of organic chemicals that have significant vapor pressures and can affect both the environment and human health. They are commonly found in soil due to industrial activities, spills, and improper waste disposal. Accurate determination of VOCs in soil is critical for assessing environmental pollution, understanding the extent of contamination, and implementing effective remediation strategies.

Key Features of BS 10176:2020

• Comprehensive Guidelines: The standard provides detailed instructions on the methodologies and techniques for collecting soil samples to ensure the integrity and representativeness of the samples.
• Quality Assurance: It emphasizes the importance of quality control measures to minimize contamination and ensure the reliability of the results.
• Standardized Procedures: By following the standardized procedures outlined in BS 10176:2020, professionals can achieve consistent and comparable results across different studies and projects.
• Environmental Compliance: Adhering to this standard helps organizations comply with environmental regulations and guidelines, thereby avoiding potential legal and financial penalties.

Who Should Use This Standard?

This standard is indispensable for a wide range of professionals, including:

• Environmental Scientists and Engineers
• Geologists and Soil Scientists
• Environmental Consultants
• Regulatory Agencies
• Laboratories specializing in soil analysis

Benefits of Using BS 10176:2020

Implementing the guidelines and specifications of BS 10176:2020 offers numerous benefits, such as:

• Enhanced Accuracy: By following the standardized procedures, users can achieve more accurate and reliable results, which are crucial for making informed decisions regarding environmental management and remediation.
• Improved Efficiency: The clear and concise guidelines help streamline the sampling process, reducing the time and resources required for soil analysis.
• Risk Mitigation: Proper sampling techniques minimize the risk of sample contamination, ensuring that the data collected is a true representation of the site conditions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to the standard ensures compliance with national and international environmental regulations, helping organizations avoid potential legal issues.

Conclusion

The BS 10176:2020 standard is a vital resource for anyone involved in the analysis of soil samples for volatile organic compounds. Its comprehensive guidelines and specifications ensure that soil sampling is conducted with the highest level of accuracy and reliability. By adhering to this standard, professionals can contribute to better environmental management, protect public health, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

For those looking to enhance their environmental assessment capabilities, the BS 10176:2020 standard is an invaluable tool that provides the necessary framework for effective soil sampling and VOC analysis.

BS 10176:2020

This standard BS 10176:2020 Taking soil samples for determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Specification is classified in these ICS categories:

• 13.080.01 Soil quality and pedology in general
• 19.040 Environmental testing

This British Standard specifies methods for taking soil samples for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to minimize the possible loss of VOCs to atmosphere during and after sample collection.

Two principal ways of taking samples for VOC determination are specified:

1. an intact core sealed to prevent loss of VOCs is taken and sent to the laboratory; and

2. a small portion of material taken with a coring device is immediately placed in water or a preservative (e.g. methanol or sodium hydrogen sulfate) in a subsequently sealed vial to be sent to the laboratory.

The methanol immersion method described amplifies the guidance in BS EN ISO 15009, BS EN ISO 16558‑1, BS ISO 18512 and BS EN ISO 22155 about this method and is intended to be followed in preference to the briefer descriptions in these four standards.

NOTE 1 This standard uses the term "soil" to refer to "soil and soil materials" as defined BS EN ISO 11074:2015, 7.4.16, although the procedures specified might not be applicable to certain coarse soils and rocks (see 4.1.2, Figure 1 and 6.3).

NOTE 2 The methods described can be applied at the sampling location, in an on-site facility or at an off-site facility. In all three cases, the sample is then sent to the analytical laboratory. It is assumed that the overall site investigation is carried out in accordance with BS 10175 and that the sampling strategy is developed in accordance with BS 10175 and BS ISO 18400‑104.

NOTE 3 Analytical procedures are outside the scope of this standard. Laboratories should adopt procedures that will yield accurate results for the sample as presented to the laboratory. The sampling methods described are suitable for use in connection with, amongst others, the analytical methods described in:

• BS EN ISO 15009, Gas chromatographic determination of the content of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene and volatile halogenated hydrocarbons – Purge-and-trap method with thermal desorption;

• BS EN ISO 16558‑1, Risk–based petroleum hydrocarbons – Determination of aliphatic and aromatic fractions of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons using gas chromatography (static headspace method);

• BS EN ISO 22155, Gas chromatographic determination of volatile aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons and selected ethers – Static headspace method.

Observations and recommendations regarding analytical procedures in commentaries and notes are provided for information only.