Determination of the degree and the range of ground and water environment contamination

Before the reclamation process of ground and water environment starts geological, hydrogeological conditions and character, range and degree of contamination should be determined precisely. In order to achieve it different methods are used, e.g. bore holes drilling, atmogeochemical and geophysical investigations.

Bore holes allow to define the geological profile, groundwater table level, sample ground and water for further laboratory tests.

Atmogeochemical investigations are a fast and economical way to determine the range of environment contamination by oil derived substances and other organic compounds and also to conduct monitoring. Those investigations can be treated as preliminary or auxiliary investigations. The used equipment plays a large part in the investigation. DEKONTA Polska Sp. z o.o. has at its disposal a precise meter ECOPROBE 5. The device includes two analyzers: PID and IR.

Geophysical investigations give quasi-continuous information on the water and ground environment. They consist in a measurement of some physical quantity, e.g. ground electrical conductivity, and then interpreting the results with reference to geological structure. The found anomalies during interpretation may be often connected with existing infrastructure elements or pollutions. Geophysical investigations are relatively cheap, fast and little- or non-invasive methods. Together with data received form drilling they give detailed information on the state of the ground and water environment.

The precise determination of the degree and the range of ground and water environment contamination has a key value in optimising costs and ways of reclamation of the existing pollution.