Coal Ash Analysis
This analysis uses a combination of analytical microscopy techniques to definitively determine if coal, coal ash, wood ash, asphalt, tar, and fly ash are present in soil samples. Used by Licensed Site Professionals (LSPs) since 1999, this powerful and versatile method provides critical information and documentation needed to accurately make site exemption status decisions. Designed by the President of MicroVision Labs, John Knowles, this method is the only technique officially recognized by state of Massachusetts which positively identifies the presence of coal, coal ash, wood ash, fly ash and asphalt in soil samples as well as any look-alike materials.
Method:
Our Coal Ash/Wood Ash analysis is composed of the following components:
- Preliminary Inspection
- Stereomicroscope Examination
- Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
- Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)
- Report providing micrographs and X-ray spectra as documentation
Notification Exemptions:
Numerous State and Federal regulations, including the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP), allow for certain notification exemptions when coal, coal combustion by-products, or wood ash are present in soil or fill. Oil and Hazardous Material (OHM), hazardous and solid waste regulations, trace metals, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the areas covered by these reporting exemptions. Our Coal Ash/Wood Ash Analysis provides you with the vital detection information needed to take full advantage of these exemptions. Inquiries regarding potential adaptation of this analysis to other locales are welcomed.
Application Fields:
- Environmental Analysis
- LSP Investigations
- Home Inspections
- Geotechnical Consultants
- Home/Property Owners