Remediation Equipment Selection

REMEDIATION EQUIPMENT
SECRET KNOWLEDGE NOT TAUGHT IN SCHOOL
Series Introduction Part 1 of 12



As a graduate engineer, geologist or earth scientist starting your career in consulting you expect that a lot of what you do will be learned on the job. Using your knowledge gained at school to help make educated decisions along the way you should be ok right? A lot will depend on the Company you work for and the type of Customers they have. More often than not environmental consulting companies will take what business they can get and figure out how to do it while getting paid. This is where you come in. Does the phrase getting thrown to the wolves ring a bell? In this series of articles we will discuss some of the things you might encounter when exposed to your first remediation project. We will limit our discussion to the items not typically taught in school or by that senior person at the firm who is the only one who can handle certain aspects of a project. The 12 part series will include the following topics:

PILOT TEST EQUIPMENT SELECTION
PERFORMING THE PILOT TEST
FULL SCALE EQUIPMENT SELECTION
BLOWERS: REGENERATIVE, POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT, ROTARY VANE, AND TURBO FANS.
COMPRESSORS: ROTARY SCREW, RECIPROCATING, ROTARY VANE, AND ROTARY CLAW.
PUMPS: CENTRIFUCIAL, DIAPHRAM, PROGRESSIVE CAVITY AND LIQUID RING
AIR STRIPPERS: TRAY, TOWER, AND TANK
OIL\WATER SEPARATORS: GRAVITY, COELESSING PLATE, DISSOLVED AIR FLOATATION
COMPONENTS OF A SOIL VAPOR EXTRACTION SYSTEM
COMPONENTS OF A DUAL PHASE EXTRACTION SYSTEM
COMPONENTS OF AN AIR SPARGING SYSTEM
CHEMICAL INJECTION, RISK BASED CORRECTION ACTION AND NATURAL ATTENUATION

After a contamination assessment has been performed and you have determined that correction action is necessary the next step is to perform a pilot test using the technology selected or desired for the full scale system. In our next part we will discuss pilot test equipment selection.

Brian E. Chew Sr. P.G.

Press Release - Enviro-Equipment Donates Rental Equipment to National Safety Council for the Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene Event

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
March 4, 2008

Contact: Denise Chew
Phone: (704) 588-7970
Email: DeniseChew@enviroequipment.com



Enviro-Equipment Donates Rental Equipment to National Safety Council for the Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene Event

In 2007 Enviro-Equipment Inc. (EEI) continued to invest in its community by donating equipment to a local EEI customer who volunteered to teach at a National Safety Council Training Event held in Charlotte. In 2008, EEI is getting more involved by donating environmental rental equipment to the National Safety Council itself for training purposes.

“We would like to recognize Denise Chew, Rand Ratterree and all the staff at Enviro-Equipment for their assistance in making the February, Fundamental of Industrial Hygiene a smashing success. Enviro-Equipment supplied all the sensor equipment requested plus samples of the newest sensor equipment available for our students.” Roy Rutlege, Senior Safety Consultant.

The Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene is an educational platform for safety, health and/or environmental professionals or managers who has industrial hygiene responsibilities but limited training or experience. With topics spanning from Biological Hazards, Air Sampling, Personal Protective Equipment, Toxicology and Chemical Hazards, EEI was the logical choice to provide the equipment.

“By supporting National Safety Council events such as the Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, we feel it provides a two fold benefit for our company. It allows us to take part in leading the industry with superior environmental equipment as well as providing a professional community service that makes for a safer environment for us all.” says, Denise Chew, President, Enviro-Equipment Inc.

EEI is dedicated to more than simply providing professional environmental and remediation equipment to organizations for the sake of business. Enviro-Equipment is a company with its focus on being a responsible leader in the environmental community. They have taken the approach of getting involved in the hard issues and backing that up with personal and professional investments.

Enviro-Equipment, Inc. (EEI), is a North Carolina certified "Woman-Owned Business Enterprise" incorporated in January 1993. EEI is located at 11180 Downs Road in Charlotte, North Carolina 28134. In 2004, EEI opened a Remediation Systems warehouse at 10120 Industrial Drive in Pineville, NC 28134.

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Denise Chew
President
Enviro-Equipment Inc.
Office: 704-588-7970
www.enviroequipment.com
DeniseChew@enviroequipment.com

Enviro-Equipment Inc. shines at recent Trade Show Events

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
November 17, 2007

Contact: Denise Chew
Phone: (704) 588-7970
Email: DeniseChew@enviroequipment.com



Enviro-Equipment Inc. shines at recent Trade Show Events

In 1997, Enviro-Equipment Inc. established us as an industry leading environmental organization with deep roots in North Carolina that now reaches worldwide. By broadening our business scope, EEI now has the responsibility to attend many trade show events across the country. We feel that meeting people face to face allows us to give a personal touch to our business approach.

EEI recently attended two national events that took them from coast to coast. In September, we exhibited at the 50th Annual AEG (Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists) Meeting and Conference in Los Angeles, CA and in October we exhibited at The Florida Remediation Conference in Orlando, FL. When asked how was the experience, Denise Chew, President of EEI was quoted as saying, “it was a wonderful chance for us to tell our customers how much we appreciate their interest and business”.

At the AEG Conference, we met several promising company representatives including West Coast Environmental and Engineering as well as Petra Geotechnical, Inc. At The Florida Remediation Conference the demographic ranged from Small Business to fortune 500 Companies. “It just goes to show you what kind of impact a quality conference can provide to an organization such as ours”, said Brian E. Chew, Sr. P.G., Vice President

We view Trade Show Conferences as a vital extension of our business. We approach each conference with the same professional commitment as we do with each project for our clients. We feel the only thing better than the conference we are attending at the moment, is the conference we are going to attend next.

Enviro-Equipment, Inc. (EEI), is a North Carolina certified "Woman-Owned Business Enterprise" incorporated in January 1993. EEI is located at 11180 Downs Road in Charlotte, North Carolina 28134. In 2004, EEI opened a Remediation Systems warehouse at 10120 Industrial Drive in Pineville, NC 28134.

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Denise Chew
President
Enviro-Equipment Inc.
Office: 704-588-7970
www.enviroequipment.com
DeniseChew@enviroequipment.com

Enviro-Equipment enhances work force with promotion

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
October 17, 2007

Contact: Denise Chew
Phone: (704) 588-7970
Email: DeniseChew@enviroequipment.com

Enviro-Equipment promotes Manager from within and enhances its work force with experience and performance.

For over 14 years the experienced environmental professionals at Enviro-Equipment have provided quality environmental rental equipment and products. With a history of being an industry leader in its profession, it’s not a surprise to see quality employees rising to managerial positions from within the company.

In June of 2005, EEI hired Danielle Mozingo from Phillip Morris to serve as their Administrative Assistant. During the last 2 years, Danielle has proven herself time and again with a performance that affects not only the bottom line of the company but the quality of its customer service. In July of 2007, Danielle was promoted to Office Manager at Enviro-Equipment Inc.

As a newly qualified Public Notary, Danielle brings 9 years of Human Resources experience from Longs Drug Stores and Administrative Assistant experience from Phillip Morris. Danielle will now add Accounting, Payroll, Collections and Client Coordination to her already wide array of skill sets.

Enviro-Equipment, Inc.(EEI), is a North Carolina certified "Woman-Owned Business Enterprise" incorporated in January, 1993. EEI is located at 11180 Downs Road in Charlotte, North Carolina 28134. In 2004, EEI opened a Remediation Systems warehouse at 10120 Industrial Drive in Pineville, NC 28134.

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Denise Chew
President
Enviro-Equipment Inc.
Office: 704-588-7970
www.enviroequipment.com

Accurate information for field soil screening procedures

Are your field soil screening procedures providing you with practical and accurate information?

Environmental consulting activities frequently require that on-the-spot decisions be made in the field concerning the presence or absence of volatile, or even semi-volatile, organic compounds (VOC's) in soil. There is nothing that can replace the value of field experience in "making the right call" when the trucks are lined up, the backhoe operator is waiting, and the client is watching the hole in the ground get bigger and bigger. However, the application of basic knowledge and consistent methodology to your field procedures can assist you in the interpretation of field soil screening results.

First, are you using the right piece of equipment for the job? You have to understand the capabilities and limitations of the Organic Vapor Analyzer (OVA) you are using.

A Photo-Ionization Detector (PID) will be limited in its response by the electron voltage (eV) output of the lamp in the instrument. Most VOC's have a published Ionization Potential (IP). PID's are equipped with a 9.5 eV, 10.6 eV, or 11.7 eV lamp. The 10.6 eV lamp is the most common. In order for a PID to respond to a particular VOC, the IP of the compound of interest must be less than or equal to the eV output of the lamp. There are some compounds that a PID will not detect, most notably methane. In addition, methane can chemically mask the presence of VOC's. PID's are subject to poor performance in the presence of high humidity in moist soil. Perhaps the greatest advantage in using a PID is that it does not require a hazardous gas for operation. This can be a great consideration in logistics or cost when traveling or working in an isolated area.

A Flame-Ionization Detector (FID) will respond to most VOC's by nature of its destructive detector function. An FID will not be adversely affected by the presence of humidity in moist soil. An FID can be used in methane determination or differentiation by using a charcoal filter adapter. FID's are calibrated to methane. A charcoal filter adapter absorbs VOC's that are present in a sample. Therefore, the determination or differentiation of the presence of VOC's can be made in the presence of methane. Perhaps the greatest disadvantage in using an FID is the need for zero-grade or ultra-high purity (UHP) hydrogen for the detector's flame fuel source. Once again, this can be a great consideration in logistics or cost when traveling or working in an isolated area.

Whichever OVA you are using, current manufacture instruments provide sub-parts per million (ppm) digital performance and, usually, dynamic ranges of 10,000 ppm, or higher. Due to the differing responses instrument to instrument, do not change from a PID on one phase of work to an FID on another phase of work. From a practical perspective, both instruments are field-screening tools, not laboratory analysis equipment. If a soil sample exhibits a gross VOC odor that you cannot even stand to get near, you may actually harm the instrument you are using by analyzing such a sample. You may want to consider a company standard field note procedure for such samples rather than risking the contamination of the OVA's detector system.

Second, you have to understand the nature of volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds as they relate to actual laboratory-testable product in the soil sample versus the amount of vapor in a soil sample headspace. The principle is simple. The headspace vapor-in-air concentration of a highly volatile compound may be higher than the actual laboratory-testable amount of the compound in the soil sample as you go from contaminated to clean soil. The opposite is true for semi-volatile organic compounds. The headspace vapor-in-air concentration of a semi-volatile compound may be lower than the actual laboratory-testable amount of the compound in the soil sample as you go from contaminated to clean soil.

Third, are you simply waving the instrument's sample probe over an open split-spoon, handful of soil, or open excavator bucket or are you head-spacing your soil samples?

There are too many uncontrolled factors present in simply waving the instrument's sample probe over an open split-spoon, handful of soil, or open excavator bucket. In most instances, your OVA will only respond to gross levels of contaminants when using this method. Additionally, outdoor ambient airflow will affect the sample that gets drawn into the OVA. In windy conditions, you might actually be detecting VOC's from a background source, such as heavy construction equipment or gas pumps. This method provides no controlled methodology to make a determination of what's happening sample to sample. It also allows no time for semi-volatile VOC's to release vapors that can be detected by an OVA.

Head-spacing soil samples provides for the best possible application of consistent and controlled methodology to your field soil screening procedures. The key word here is consistent. The container you use, amount of soil you collect, or amount of time the containerized soil sample sits are not so important as being consistent with each one. Glass jars with foil and zip-closure bags are commonly used for head-spacing procedures. Use the same type of container for all phases of work. Glass jars heat up faster and stay cold longer than a zip-closure bags. If using zip-closure bags, test a bag first to make sure that it does not in itself release VOC's that will be picked up by your OVA. Collect the same amount of soil with each sample. Most importantly, allow each containerized soil sample to sit for the same amount of time. A very common error is to collect samples over the course of the day and then check them all at the end of the day. One sample may have been sitting for five minutes while the first one has been sitting for five hours! It is usually sufficient to allow a sample to sit for a matter of minutes to provide for a practical indication of the presence or absence of VOC's.

The best possible scenario for controlled soil sample screening, using the headspace method, is to split samples between two containers. This applies to soil samples that are being screened for potential submission to a laboratory and to soil samples that are being screened for differentiation of VOC's and methane. In the first instance of screening, the sample to be screened should be containerized for head spacing. The potential laboratory sample can be tightly wrapped in a zip-closure bag, wrapped in foil, and placed in a cooler for later use, if necessary. In the second instance of methane differentiation, the sample should be split between two containers, and then screened individually using the FID on one and the charcoal filter adapter on the other. A single sample headspace will be depleted by the first analysis and leave an inadequate sample for the second analysis.

In closing, apply these basic principles and procedures to your field soil screening activities. You will find that your field data will provide you and your project professionals with more accurate data. Best of all, though, you'll find that you will more quickly gain the experience necessary to "make the right call" when it counts most, in the field.

Chris Nagy

Corporate Consultant

EEI Reaches out to clients with information

Dear Colleagues,

Are your field soil screening procedures providing you with practical and accurate information? In this article, written by our corporate consultant, Chris Nagy, you will find those never revealed tips in order to obtain the most accurate information possible in the process of soil screening. You will also find how Enviro-Equipment, Inc. can help if you are involved with the re-building process concerning Hurricanes Rita and Katrina's affected zones.

We also just upgraded our website in order to meet with your demands for information concerning rental and/or remediation equipment. The new EEI website is full of information to help you select the right equipment, solve those tricky problems, and converse with other environmental professionals in a friendly forum.

It is difficult to cover every aspect of a broad field such as environmental in just one article, so if you don't find information for your specific field here, I encourage you to keep on checking future entries. I will do my best to cover as much information from as many areas as possible. You can also email me your questions at brianchew@enviroequipment.com. I will be more than happy to help you!

Brian Chew Sr. P.G.
Enviro-Equipment Inc.

Sampling 101 – Pump or Bailer? - Part 3 of 3

CONCLUSIONS

Each ground-water sampling situation must be carefully considered before making a decision to use a bailer or pump, and the following chart may be of some use in making that decision. Remember that the skill and experience of the operator is of great importance in obtaining a representative sample of the ground water, but choice of the sampling method is also important, and can make a big difference in the eventual cost of your sampling project. Consult your local environmental equipment agent for specifications, costs, or other information regarding bailers and pumps, and be sure to consult their resident experts for their advice.






The writer wishes to thank Brian Chew of Enviro-Equipment, for his technical advice with this article.