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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
1.1 Sampling to Accurately Inform Environmental Cleanup
1.2 What Is ISM?
1.3 Why Should ISM Be Considered for My Site?
1.4 How Is ISM Implemented for Environmental Sampling?
1.5 Document Content – How to Use This Guidance
2 Nature of Soil Sampling
2 Nature of Soil Sampling
2.1 Introduction
2.2 ISM Accommodates the Complexities of Soil Testing
2.3 Mean ISM QC
2.4 Physical Causes of Soil Data Variability
2.5 Sample and Data Representativeness
2.6 Managing Heterogeneity to Ensure Sample Representativeness
3 Systematic Planning, Statistical Analyses, and Costs
3 Systematic Planning, Statistical Analyses, and Costs
3.1 Systematic Planning and DU Design
3.2 Statistical Concepts and Applications in ISM Projects
3.3 Planning for the Use of ISM Data
3.4 Cost-Benefit Analysis
4 Regulatory Context Field Implementation, Sample Collection, and Preparation
4 Regulatory Context Field Implementation, Sample Collection, and Preparation
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Field Planning
4.3 Field Locating
4.4 Sampling Tools and Methods
4.5 Decontamination
4.6 Sample Handling and Mass Reduction
5 Sample Processing and Analysis
5 Sample Processing and Analysis
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Choosing Appropriate ISM Processing Options
5.3 ISM Sample Preparation and Analysis
5.4 Quality Assurance/Quality Control
6 Data Quality Evaluation
6 Data Quality Evaluation
6.1 Data Verification, Validation, and Usability
6.2 Evaluation of DU Results
6.3 Evaluation of Statistical Assumptions
6.4 Decision Endpoints
7 Regulatory Acceptance
7 Regulatory Acceptance
7.1 Comparison of Survey Results from 2009 to 2019
7.2 Current State of Practice
7.3 Factors Affecting Regulatory Acceptability
7.4 Benefits to Foster Regulatory Acceptance of ISM
8 ISM for Risk Assessment
8 ISM for Risk Assessment
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Systematic Planning for ISM Data Use in Risk Assessment
8.3 EPCs from ISM Data for Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
8.4 Considerations for Use of Background ISM Data in Risk Assessment
8.5 Use of ISM for Post-Remediation Risk-Based Confirmation Sampling
8.6 Risk Communication Suggestions for Explaining ISM
9 Stakeholder Perspective and Tribal Input
9 Stakeholder Perspective and Tribal Input
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Stakeholder Engagement Through Systematic Planning
9.3 Communicating with Stakeholders
9.4 Case Studies
Appendices
Appendix A: Case Study Summaries
Appendix B: Statistical Simulations
Appendix C: Team Contacts
Appendix D: Glossary
Appendix E: Acronyms
Appendix F: References
Acknowledgments
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ISM
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Glossary

A

Adsorption
The mechanism whereby ions or compounds within a liquid or gas adhere to a solid surface upon contact.

Anion
A negatively charged ion.

B

Biochar
A carbon-rich, porous solid synthesized by heating biomass, such as wood or manure, in a low oxygen environment (that is, pyrolysis).

Biomaterials
Materials derived from plants or animals created for use as sorption materials.

C

Cation
A positively charged ion.

Coagulation
The process of destabilizing a colloid or suspension that unbalances the forces that separate the particles, often by neutralizing the charges on the particles and allowing the particles to clump or settle.

E

Electro precipitation/Electrocoagulation
The use of an electrical current to enhance the coagulation and precipitation of ionic compounds.  The electrical current may attract the compounds to an anode or cathode, or create coagulating ions from a sacrificial anode, or both.

F

Flocculation
A process where the suspended particles of a destabilized colloid or suspension form groups or clumps (known as a “floc”).  Coagulation and flocculation work together to separate solids and liquids containing colloids and suspensions.

Fluorotelomer substance
A polyfluoroalkyl substance produced by the telomerization process.

H

Head
The part of a molecule that is a charged functional group attached at one end of the carbon chain tail.

I

Incineration
Thermal destruction process typically characterized by oxidation at temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius.

Isomers
Chemicals with the same chemical formula, but different molecular structures.

M

Membrane fouling
Loss of production capacity of a membrane due to accumulation of compounds or biogrowth on the membrane.

Micelles
Particles in which long hydrocarbon tails, repelled by the water molecules and attracted to each other, make up the interior, whereas the negatively charged heads coats the surface and interacts with the surrounding water molecules and positive ions (Ege 1999).

Mineralization/Decomposition/Destruction
The breakdown of a chemical compound into its constituent elements and carbon dioxide and water.

O

Organoclays
A naturally occurring clay mineral, which is organically modified to incorporate cations and enhance the sorption capability.

P

Perfluorinated chemical
Subset of PFAS. Have carbon chain atoms that are totally fluorinated. Examples are perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (Buck et al. 2011).

Perfluoroalkyl substance
Fully fluorinated alkane (carbon-chain) molecule. They have a chain (tail) of two or more carbons atoms with a charged functional group (head) attached at one end.

Permeate
The water treated by a membrane filtration technology, which has passed through the membrane, and from which PFAS have been removed.  The contaminants not passing the membrane accumulating in the filtrate, which also does not pass through the membrane.

Polyfluorinated chemical
Subset of PFAS. Have at least one carbon chain atom that is not totally fluorinated (Buck et al. 2011).

Polyfluoroalkyl substance
The molecule has a non-fluorine atom (typically hydrogen or oxygen) attached to at least one, but not all, carbon atoms, while at least two or more of the remaining carbon atoms in the carbon chain tail are fully fluorinated.

Polymer
Large molecules formed by combining many identical smaller molecules.

R

Reactivation
The process of treating regenerated GAC to restore treatment properties.

Redox
Chemical reduction-oxidation processes and conditions that can result in the alteration of a chemical compound.

Regeneration
The act of restoring some of the sorption capacity of a sorptive media (that is activated carbon or ion exchange) by removing the adsorbed matter.  For carbon, regeneration is a thermal oxidation process.

S

Stabilization
A process to reduce mobility of compounds in the environment through physical or chemical means.

T

Tail
the part of a molecule that is a chain of two or more carbon atoms.

Thermal Desorption
Thermal treatment process intended to remove the contaminants from a solid media (such as soil, sediment, carbon) and drive them into the vapor phase.

Z

Zwitterion
An ionic compound containing both positively and negatively charged groups with a net charge of zero.

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