Standard Guide for Developing Representative Background Concentrations at Sediment Sites—Selection of Background Reference Areas

Importancia y uso:

4.1 Intended Use: 

4.1.1 This guide may be used by various parties involved in sediment corrective action programs, including regulatory agencies, project sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, risk assessors, site remediation professionals, environmental contractors, and other stakeholders.

4.2 Importance of the CSM: 

4.2.1 The CSM should be updated as needed and refined to describe the physical properties, chemical composition and occurrence, biologic features, and environmental conditions of the sediment corrective action project (Guide E1689).

4.3 Reference Material: 

4.3.1 This guide should be used in conjunction with other ASTM guides listed in 2.1 (especially Guides E3242 and E3382); this guide should also be used in conjunction with the material in the References at the end of this guide (including 1).3 Using these reference materials will direct the user in developing representative background concentrations for sediment at a sediment site.

4.4 Flexible Site-Specific Implementation: 

4.4.1 This guide provides a systematic but flexible framework to accommodate variations in approaches by regulatory agencies and by the user based on project objectives, site complexity, unique site features, regulatory requirements, newly developed guidance, newly published scientific research, changes in regulatory criteria, advances in scientific knowledge and technical capability, and unforeseen circumstances.

4.5 Regulatory Frameworks: 

4.5.1 This guide is intended to be applicable at a broad range of local, state, tribal, federal (such as CERCLA), or international jurisdictions, each with its own unique regulatory framework. As such, this guide does not provide a detailed discussion of the requirements or guidance associated with any of these regulatory frameworks, nor is it intended to supplant applicable regulations and guidance. The user of this guide will need to be aware of the regulatory requirements and guidance in the jurisdiction where the work is being performed.

4.5.2 Depending on the regulatory requirements in a jurisdiction, the choice of background reference areas may need to consider critical habitats and ecological receptors.

4.6 Systematic Project Planning and Scoping Process: 

4.6.1 When applying this guide, the user should undertake a systematic project planning and scoping process to collect information to assist in making site-specific, user-defined decisions for a particular project, including assembling an experienced team of project professionals. These practitioners should have the appropriate expertise to scope, plan, and execute a sediment data acquisition and analysis program. This team may include, but is not limited to, project sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, site remediation professionals, analytical chemists, geochemists, and statisticians.

4.7 Other Considerations: 

4.7.1 This guide does not cover all components of a program to develop representative background concentrations for sediment. It is meant to be used in conjunction with other guides (such as Guides E3163, E3164, E3240, E3242, and E3382) to do so.

4.7.2 Sediment sampling and laboratory analyses are not covered in this guide. Guides E3163 and E3164 contain extensive information concerning sediment sampling and laboratory analyses.

4.7.3 Data quality objectives are not covered in this guide. Data quality objectives are described in (2).

4.7.4 Background study design considerations are not covered in this guide but are described in other references, including Guide E3163 and (3).

4.7.5 The use of data evaluation methodologies to obtain representative background data sets from candidate background data sets is not covered in detail in this guide but is discussed in more depth in Guide E3242.

4.7.5.1 Identification and removal of high nondetect values from candidate background data sets are discussed in detail in Guide E3242.

4.7.5.2 Identification and removal of outliers from candidate background data sets are discussed in detail in Practice E178, as well as Guide E3242.

4.7.5.3 Geochemical and chemical forensics methodologies used in evaluating candidate background data sets to obtain representative background data sets are discussed in detail in Guide E3242; their applications during background reference area selection are discussed in this guide.

4.7.6 The use of statistical methods to develop BTVs from representative background data sets are discussed in detail in Guide E3242.

4.7.7 The use of statistical methods to compare representative background data sets to sediment site data sets are discussed in detail in Guide E3242.

4.7.8 Geospatial analysis considerations are not thoroughly discussed in this guidance but are discussed in more depth relative to environmental evaluations in (4), which focuses on quality assurance concerns relative to geospatial analyses.

4.7.9 In this guide, sediment (3.1.15) is defined as material being found at the bottom of a water body. Upland soils of sedimentary origin are excluded from consideration as sediment in this guide.

4.7.10 In this guide, only PCOC concentrations are considered to be in scope. Residual background radioactivity is out of scope.

4.8 Structure and Components of this Guide: 

4.8.1 The user of this guide should review the overall structure and components of this guide before proceeding with use, including:

Section 1

Scope

Section 2

Referenced Documents

Section 3

Terminology

Section 4

Significance and Use

Section 5

Overview of Representative Background Concentrations for Sediment at Sediment Sites and Development Framework

Section 6

Background Reference Area Selection Criteria

Section 7

Keywords

Appendix X1

Case Study

References

 

Subcomité:

E50.04

Referida por:

E3242-23, E3382-24, E3163-24, E3164-23

Volúmen:

11.05

Número ICS:

13.060.99 (Other standards related to water quality)

Palabras clave:

background reference area; representative background concentrations; sediment;