ASTM C998-05(2010)e1

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: C998 − 05 (Reapproved 2010)
Standard Practice for
Sampling Surface Soil for Radionuclides
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C998; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
ε NOTE—The units statement in subsection 1.2 was added editorially in June 2010.
1. Scope 4. Summary of Practice
1.1 This practice covers the sampling of surface soil for the 4.1 Guidance is provided for the collection of soil samples
purpose of obtaining a sample representative of a particular to a depth of 50 mm. Ten core samples are collected in a
area for subsequent chemical analysis of selected radionu- specified pattern and composited to obtain sufficient sample so
clides. This practice describes one acceptable approach to as to be representative of the area.
collect soil samples for radiochemical analysis.
5. Significance and Use
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
5.1 Soil provides a source material for the determination of
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
selected radionuclides and serves as an integrator of the
standard.
deposition of airborne materials. Soil sampling should not be
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
used as the primary measurement system to demonstrate
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
compliance with applicable radionuclides in air standards.This
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
shouldbedonebyairsamplingorbymeasuringemissionrates.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
Soil sampling does serve as a secondary system, and in many
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
cases, is the only available avenue if insufficient air sampling
occurred at the time of an incident. For many insoluble
2. Referenced Documents
radionuclides, the primary exposure pathway to the general
2.1 ASTM Standards:
population is by inhalation. The resuspension of transuranic
D420 Guide to Site Characterization for Engineering Design elements has received considerable attention (1, 2) and their
and Construction Purposes (Withdrawn 2011)
measurement in soil is one means of establishing compliance
D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide-
lines on exposure to transuranic elements. Soil sampling can
2.2 Other References:
provide useful information for other purposes, such as plant
MARLAP, Chapter 10
uptake studies, total inventory of various radionuclides in soil
IAEA-TECDOC-1415, Soil Sampling for Environmental
due to atmospheric nuclear tests, and the accumulation of
Contaminants
radionuclides as a function of time. A soil sampling and
analysis program as part of a preoperational environmental
3. Terminology
monitoring program serves to establish baseline concentra-
3.1 Definitions:
tions. Consideration was given to these criteria in preparing
3.1.1 sampling, n—obtaining a representative portion of the
this practice.
material concerned (see Terminology D1129).
5.2 Soil collected using this practice and subsequent analy-
siscanbeusedtomonitorradionuclidedepositionofemissions
fromnuclearfacilities.Thecriticalfactorsnecessarytoprovide
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear
this information are sampling location, time of sampling,
Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.05 on Methods of
Test.
frequency of sampling, sample size, and maintenance of the
Current edition approved June 1, 2010. Published June 2010. Originally
integrity of the sample prior to analysis. Since the soil is
approved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2005 as C998 – 05. DOI:
consideredtobeaheterogeneousmedium,multipointsampling
10.1520/C0998-05R10E01.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or is necessary. The samples must represent the conditions exist-
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
ing in the area for which data are desired.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website.
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
www.astm.org. this standard.
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C998 − 05 (2010)
able sampling depth. Because the data may be used in various
ways, it is important to accurately record the sample location,
the depth of the sample, and the sample weight. In order to
obtain sufficient sample to be representative of the area, due to
the inherent heterogeneity of soil, it is recommended that a
total sampling area of greater than 0.05 m be collected as
described in Section 8.
7.2 Site Selection:
7.2.1 As an idealized guideline, each site should be selected
on the basis that the soil appears, or was known to have been,
undisturbed for a number of years. Open, level, grassy areas
that are mowed at reasonable intervals, such as public parks,
are suitable choices. The site should have moderate to good
permeability and there should be little or no runoff during
heavy rains. The site should not be near enough to buildings,
trees, or other obstructions that it is sheltered or shielded. High
earthworm activity (as a result of direct observation of the
removed sample) or aeration of the root zone may result in
uneven mixing of the surface soil and, therefore, this type of
site should be avoided. Care should be taken not to select a site
that is fertilized or watered with sources that may add
radioactive materials to the soil, that is, some fertilizers have
high uranium concentrations. It is important to be able to
FIG. 1 Soil Sampling Instrument and Use
accurately describe the location at which the sample was
collected (the use of GPS is suggested) if it becomes necessary
6. Apparatus
to return and resample the location.
7.2.2 The number of sites sampled is determined by the
6.1 Sampling Instrument —In order to standardize the
purpose of the sampling and the information required from the
sample collection, it is suggested that the coring tool be that
particular analysis. If the sampling is part of a preoperational
instrument used by golf courses to place the hole in the putting
survey around a facility, one acceptable distribution is that
green. This instrument is commercially available at reasonable
proposed in HASL-300 (4) and depicted in Fig. 2. This
cost, has approximately a 0.105-m diameter barrel, and can
distribution of 13 sampling sites extending up to 10 km in the
take samples down to 300 mm.An illustration of the sampling
downwind direction from the facility should be adequate to
instrument and its use is provided in Fig. 1.
provide the background concentration of the nuclides of
6.2 Sample Container, such as metal cans with lids, plastic
interest. Sampling for other purposes may require ot
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