Standardization News

A new ASTM International standard will help environmental assessment professionals perform more effective studies on sediment, the matrix of water and particles that settle at the bottom of bodies of water.

“The new standard is organized as a toolkit applicable to a broad range of sediment sites, from the large mega sites to smaller sites located in ecologically sensitive areas,” says ASTM International member Eileen Snyder who works at Alpha Analytical Inc.  She adds that the standard explains how the analytical methods used for sediment corrective action are very different from conventional methods used for other soils.

Specifically, the standard (E3163) covers: physical properties testing, chemical analytical methods, passive sampling procedures, bioassays and toxicity testing, environmental forensics methods and procedures, and methods development procedures.

According to Snyder, users of the new standard could include regulatory agencies, project sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, and risk assessors. ASTM International’s committee on environmental assessment, risk management, and corrective action (E50) created the standard.

Snyder adds that the committee would like to engage those who use the standard to understand how it will be used and how it might be revised going forward.