KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO ...

APPENDIX B
― A knowledge of contaminants that may be present at the site.
― Historical information on potential source areas.
If available, the results of any previous site investigations should be reviewed. Monitoring well and soil
boring logs and the results of chemical analyses could be especially useful.
Sample Collection
Sampling and analysis consist of determination of sampling locations, mobilization, sample collection,
and sample analysis. Specific QA/QC is addressed for each aspect of sampling and analysis.
Determination of Sampling Locations
Prior to performing a soil gas survey, pre-determined sampling locations should be established. In
general, an unbiased grid should be set up across the site or in selected areas of a very large site. For
reference, a 25-ft by 25-ft grid is considered small, and a 200-ft by 200-ft grid is considered large. In
addition to the unbiased grid, additional sample locations should be placed in known and suspected
source areas. Potential source areas include surface or underground tank areas, bermed areas, spill sites,
areas of discolored soil, areas of stressed vegetation, pits, lagoons, waste piles, chemical storage areas,
loading docks, product transfer areas, and dry drainage ditches.
If the grid is staked prior to mobilization, the soil gas survey can be finished in a shorter time than if the
soil gas team has to stake sampling locations. An accurately surveyed grid for a soil gas survey is
preferred, but a grid produced with a compass and tape measure is acceptable. If the soil gas survey
offers real-time results (the preferred method), the initial grid can be augmented to reflect the initial
results, so additional samples in excess of these of the original grid should be expected and budgeted
accordingly. A real-time soil gas survey will typically include a 25 percent increase in the number of
samples relative to the number of samples in the original grid.
If the survey doses not offer real-time results, the field team will not know which areas require additional
samples and will be unable to adequately define the extent of contamination. Therefore, a tighter initial
grid (2 to 4 times the number of samples required for real-time analysis) should be used across the entire
site to ensure adequate definition of contamination.
Mobilization
Prior to mobilization, a utilities survey should be conducted to determine the location of buried power,
telephone, sewer, gas, or water lines. Upon arriving at the site, the soil gas field team will perform an
initial site inspection. This inspection should be conducted with the FOL, or someone else familiar with
the site, to explain the site characteristics. All sampling and analysis equipment should be unpacked a
setup to ensure that all equipment has arrived and is working properly.
Sample Collection
Active soil gas collection consists of augering a hole or driving a probe into the ground, inserting and
sealing a sampling probe into the hole, applying a vacuum to the probe, and collecting a sample.
Where possible, the probe is driven into the ground manually. One common method consists of using a
hand-operated slide hammer to drive a 5/8-inch diameter steel rod 3 to 4 ft into the ground. Asphalt can
Kirtland AFB
SOPs for Field Investigations B-102 April 2004