Standard Practice for Preparation of Sediment Samples for Chemical Analysis

SCOPE
1.1 This practice describes standard procedures for preparation of test samples (including the removal of occluded water and moisture) of field samples collected from locations such as streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans.
1.2 These procedures are applicable to the determination of volatile, semivolatile, and nonvolatile constituents of sediments.
1.3 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. For a specific precautionary statement, see Note 3.

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Historical
Publication Date
14-Oct-1992
Current Stage
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ASTM D3976-92(2001) - Standard Practice for Preparation of Sediment Samples for Chemical Analysis
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
An American National Standard
Designation:D 3976–92(Reapproved 2001)
Standard Practice for
Preparation of Sediment Samples for Chemical Analysis
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3976; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 4.2 Wet, sieved samples are mixed for preliminary homog-
enization, then allowed to settle to remove most of the
1.1 This practice describes standard procedures for prepa-
occluded water.
ration of test samples (including the removal of occluded water
4.3 Moisture determinations are made on separate samples
and moisture) of field samples collected from locations such as
from those analyzed for volatile or semivolatile constituents.
streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans.
4.4 Analyses for volatile constituents are made using wet,
1.2 These procedures are applicable to the determination of
settled samples from which supernatant liquid has been re-
volatile, semivolatile, and nonvolatile constituents of sedi-
moved by decantation. The results are corrected to those that
ments.
would have been obtained on samples dried to constant weight
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
at 105 6 2°C, on the basis of a moisture determination using
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
a separate sample.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
4.5 Analyses for semivolatile constituents (for example,
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
mercury) are made on samples previously dried at a tempera-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For a specific
ture found to be adequate for the purpose, and specified in the
precautionary statement, see Note 3.
corresponding analytical procedure.
2. Referenced Documents 4.6 Analyses for nonvolatile constituents are made on
samples previously dried to constant weight at 105 6 2°C.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
4.7 A flow diagram, outlining typical procedures, is shown
D 596 Practice of Reporting Results of Analysis of Water
in Fig. 1.
D 1129 Terminology Relating to Water
D 1192 Specification for Equipment for Sampling Water
5. Significance and Use
and Steam in Closed Conduits
5.1 Thechemicalanalysisofsediments,collectedfromsuch
D 3370 Practices for Sampling Water from Closed Con-
locations as streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans can
duits
2 provide information of environmental significance.
D 4410 Terminology for Fluvial Sediment
5.2 Sediment samples are inherently heterogeneous in that
3. Terminology they contain occluded water in varying and unpredictable
amounts and may contain foreign objects or material not
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this prac-
ordinarily considered as sediment, the inclusion of which
tice, refer to Terminologies D 1129 and D 4410.
would result in inaccurate analysis.
4. Summary of Practice
5.3 Standard methods for separating foreign objects to
facilitate homogenization will minimize errors due to poor
4.1 Samples collected (see Practices D 3370 and Specifica-
mixing and inclusion of extraneous material.
tion D 1192) in the field are screened to remove foreign objects
5.4 Standardized procedures for drying provide a means for
prior to homogenization for chemical examination and analy-
reporting analytical values to a common dry weight basis.
sis.Largeobjectsaremechanicallyremovedandsmallonesare
eliminated by sieving the sample through a 10-mesh (2-mm
6. Preliminary Treatment of Field Samples
openings) sieve.
6.1 Theanalyticalsampleisarbitrarilydefinedasthatwhich
passes a 10-mesh (approximately 2-mm openings) sieve. The
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D19 on Water and
purpose of this is to provide a basis for discrimination of
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D19.07 on Sediments, Geomorphology,
sediment and foreign objects or materials. Stainless steel or
and Open-Channel Flow.
nylonsievesmaybeusedwheninorganicconstituentsaretobe
Current edition approved Oct. 15, 1992. Published December 1992. Originally
published as D 3976 – 80. Last previous edition D 3976 – 88.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 3976–92 (2001)
FIG. 1 Flow diagram for Sediment-Sample Treatment
determined. Stainless steel or brass sieves are suitable for use 6.5.1 Store the material, as prepared above, in contact with
when organic substances are to be determined. its supernatant liquid, until time of use for chemical examina-
tion.
NOTE 1—For inorganic analyses, stainless steel sieves are acceptable
provided the mesh is not soldered or welded to the frame. For organic
NOTE 3—Precaution: Samples intended for both organic and inorganic
analyses, organic materials such as rubber or plastics should not be used
compound analysis may undergo changes in composition during storage.
in the storage or handling of samples.
The analytical method should specify the conditions necessary to assure
requisite stability. In the absence of specific instructions, storage at a
6.2 Sieve dry samples without further pretreatment and
temperature of 4°C or lower for a period of time not to exceed 1 week is
follow the procedures given in 7.3, 7.4, or 7.5, or a combina-
recommended, although it is known that microbiological activit
...

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