ASTM C998-05
(Practice)Standard Practice for Sampling Surface Soil for Radionuclides
Standard Practice for Sampling Surface Soil for Radionuclides
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
Soil provides a source material for the determination of selected radionuclides and serves as an integrator of the deposition of airborne materials. Soil sampling should not be used as the primary measurement system to demonstrate compliance with applicable radionuclides in air standards. This should be done by air sampling or by measuring emission rates. Soil sampling does serve as a secondary system, and in many cases, is the only available avenue if insufficient air sampling occurred at the time of an incident. For many insoluble radionuclides, the primary exposure pathway to the general population is by inhalation. The resuspension of transuranic elements has received considerable attention (1, 2)3 and their measurement in soil is one means of establishing compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines on exposure to transuranic elements. Soil sampling can provide useful information for other purposes, such as plant uptake studies, total inventory of various radionuclides in soil due to atmospheric nuclear tests, and the accumulation of radionuclides as a function of time. A soil sampling and analysis program as part of a preoperational environmental monitoring program serves to establish baseline concentrations. Consideration was given to these criteria in preparing this practice.
Soil collected using this practice and subsequent analysis can be used to monitor radionuclide deposition of emissions from nuclear facilities. The critical factors necessary to provide this information are sampling location, time of sampling, frequency of sampling, sample size, and maintenance of the integrity of the sample prior to analysis. Since the soil is considered to be a heterogeneous medium, multipoint sampling is necessary. The samples must represent the conditions existing in the area for which data are desired.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the sampling of surface soil for the purpose of obtaining a sample representative of a particular area for subsequent chemical analysis of selected radionuclides. This practice describes one acceptable approach to collect soil samples for radiochemical analysis.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation:C998–05
Standard Practice for
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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.
1. Scope 5. Significance and Use
1.1 This practice covers the sampling of surface soil for the 5.1 Soil provides a source material for the determination of
purpose of obtaining a sample representative of a particular selected radionuclides and serves as an integrator of the
area for subsequent chemical analysis of selected radionu- deposition of airborne materials. Soil sampling should not be
clides. This practice describes one acceptable approach to used as the primary measurement system to demonstrate
collect soil samples for radiochemical analysis. compliance with applicable radionuclides in air standards.This
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the shouldbedonebyairsamplingorbymeasuringemissionrates.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the Soil sampling does serve as a secondary system, and in many
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- cases, is the only available avenue if insufficient air sampling
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- occurred at the time of an incident. For many insoluble
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. radionuclides, the primary exposure pathway to the general
population is by inhalation. The resuspension of transuranic
2. Referenced Documents 3
elements has received considerable attention (1, 2) and their
2
2.1 ASTM Standards: measurement in soil is one means of establishing compliance
D420 Guide to Site Characterization for Engineering De-
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide-
sign and Construction Purposes lines on exposure to transuranic elements. Soil sampling can
D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
provide useful information for other purposes, such as plant
2.2 Other References: uptake studies, total inventory of various radionuclides in soil
MARLAP, Chapter 10
due to atmospheric nuclear tests, and the accumulation of
IAEA-TECDOC-1415, Soil Sampling for Environmental radionuclides as a function of time. A soil sampling and
Contaminants
analysis program as part of a preoperational environmental
monitoring program serves to establish baseline concentra-
3. Terminology
tions. Consideration was given to these criteria in preparing
3.1 Definitions:
this practice.
3.1.1 sampling—obtaining a representative portion of the
5.2 Soil collected using this practice and subsequent analy-
material concerned (see Terminology D1129).
siscanbeusedtomonitorradionuclidedepositionofemissions
fromnuclearfacilities.Thecriticalfactorsnecessarytoprovide
4. Summary of Practice
this information are sampling location, time of sampling,
4.1 Guidance is provided for the collection of soil samples
frequency of sampling, sample size, and maintenance of the
to a depth of 50 mm. Ten core samples are collected in a
integrity of the sample prior to analysis. Since the soil is
specified pattern and composited to obtain sufficient sample so
consideredtobeaheterogeneousmedium,multipointsampling
as to be representative of the area.
is necessary. The samples must represent the conditions exist-
ing in the area for which data are desired.
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear
6. Apparatus
Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.05 on Test
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6.1 Sampling Instrument —In order to standardize the
Methods.
Current edition approved June 1, 2005. Published June 2005. Originally
sample collection, it is suggested that the coring tool be that
approved in 1983. Last previous edition approved in 2000 as C998 – 90 (2000).
DOI: 10.1520/C0998-05.
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM this standard.
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Model 28200 Scalloped Style of the Standard Manufacturing Company of
the ASTM website. Cedar Falls, IA, or its equivalent, has been found satisfactory for this purpose.
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C998–05
instrument used by golf courses to place the hole in the putting 7.2 Site Selection:
green. This instrument is commercially available at reason
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